Beauty Vs Beast: The Two Jakes
Monday, July 7, 2014 at 11:49PM 
JA from MNPP here - The year 2014 is halfway over and since Nathaniel seems to be having fun listing his picks for "the best of so-far" I felt like joining in - my favorite movie of the year here at the half-point is Denis Villeneuve's doppleganger creep-fest called Enemy, which stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Jake Gyllenhaal as two men (maybe?) who find each other (maybe?) through chance (uh... maybe?) and the destructive effect that this has on their lives (definitely).
If you didn't catch the film in theaters (I managed to twice but I realize I am extraordinarily priviledged for that; its release was a puzzler) it came out onto DVD and so forth two weeks ago, so hopefully you've set aside the time - as I said when I reviewed it way back when this movie is the dream of a movie I would be able to make if I were a movie-maker. It hits all my buttons and then some, including ones I never even knew about -- Jake Gyllenhaal ordering another Jake Gyllenhaal to take his clothes off? Sure!
On the surface this week's "Beauty Vs. Beast" might seem a trick question (and maybe it is, just like the whole movie might be a trick movie) but Jake's performance in the film does make Adam (the teacher who's with Melanie Laurent) and Anthony (the actor who's married to Sarah Gadon) two distinct men - it's usually not hard to tell who's who because of posture alone, and the differences only seem to branch out (and yes, perhaps double back...) from there. So have at 'em...
If you haven't seen the film now before voting my point is go watch the movie right now! And then vote. Of course a vote for Jake, any Jake, is a winning vote all the same. And on top of telling me which Team Jake you prefer in the comments I'd love to hear y'all's theories about the movie. This movie brings them forth!
PREVIOUSLY Last week we got ourselves pre-juiced for Showtime's Masters of Sex, which returns on July 13th, by asking y'all to choose between the Masters & Johnson at the show's heart - I can't say I was surprised to see that Lizzy Caplan bounces the highest on the bedsprings of most of our hearts. She walked away with a full 85% of the vote. Said par, getting a hearty chuckle outta me:
"I love her so much I'd even invite her to a pool party... even if there were going to be girls in bathing suits there."
Reader Comments (11)
DAMN! I thought this was going to be a sibling rivalry. I was so looking forward to voting for Maggie!
I'll have to do a Donnie Darko face-off between them down the road sometime! Is that the only movie they've been in together? Their fight at the dinner table is maybe my favorite scene in that whole movie and I loooooove that movie.
JA & Andrew -- it's dumb that they haven't worked together more. they were GREAT together. it's almost like they were *real* siblings ;)
just minutes after pretending I couldn't choose i chose Anthony for so many reasons (1: actor, 2: loves blueberries, 3: that's my brother's name) that I could never have chosen Adam. Sorry Adam!
One of my favorite parts of Enemy was never fully understanding the relationship between the two Jakes. That whole movie was a trip. I walked out not knowing if I should feel annoyed or impressed, and the longer it stewed, the more I liked it.
Blueberries all the way. Especially Jake's blueberries.
Anthony. But only because of Sarah Gadon.
God I loved this movie. Walking back to my car afterwards (like two blocks away) was terrifying.
I voted for Adam because I think he's the one who's sweaty from jogging a couple times?
This still hasn't had any kind of release in Australia that I'm aware of, but the motorcycle and leather jacket makes this a no-brainer for me: Anthony FTW! Guess I better get onto ordering that DVD...
I'm voting on blueberries alone. It's Jake Gyllenhaal vs Jake Gyllenhaal, I can afford to be frivolous.
Haven't seen this yet but Anthony lost me at fertile. Ain't nobody got time for that, as they say. Pulling for barren and appreciative Jake #1.
Dale Cooper looks like him