The Devil's Double

Plot synopsis:
Iraq, 1985. Latif Yahia (Dominic Cooper), an Iraqi soldier fighting in the Iran-Iraq War, is called to become a "fedai" ("body double" or political decoy) for Uday Hussein (also played by Cooper), the playboy son of Iraqi president Saddam Hussein (Philip Quast). Latif comes from an upper-class family and had attended school with Uday, where the other students would remark on their likeness. Latif initially refuses the position, but is imprisoned and tortured, ultimately relenting when his family is threatened.Latif undergoes minor cosmetic surgery to perfect his resemblance to Uday and, over the next three years, practices emulating the young Hussein's mannerisms and wildly volatile persona. He is given access to all of the luxurious benefits of the Husseins' fortune, including massive palaces, expensive wardrobes and Uday's Ferrari Mondial 3.2 and various other exotic cars. Latif tries to resist Uday's exorbitant merrymaking and erratic behavior, at one point fleeing a nightclub in another of Uday's Ferraris to attempt to see his family, who believe he has died in the war. However, he is apprehended by Uday's bodyguards and beaten. After an appearance at a conference with several Kuwaiti leaders, an attempt is made on Uday's (Latif's) life, apparently by a member of a rebel opposition group, possibly a Kurd. The real Uday, though, is more concerned with the Kuwaitis, who he believes have been slant drilling from Iraq's Rumaila oil field. Iraq invads Kuwait in August 1990 which begins the First Gulf War. With the fall of Kuwait, Uday proclaims "The Age of the Sheikhs is over!"Uday's increasingly violent, sadistic tendencies are displayed when he kidnaps a 14 year-old school girl and forces her to escort him to a party. At the party, (based on an actual 1988 celebration honoring Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's wife Suzanne), the strung-out Uday becomes enraged with his father's personal bodyguard Kamel Hana Gegeo (Mehmet Ferda). Uday believes Gegeo facilitated an affair between Saddam and Samira Shahbandar, which devastated his mother, Sajida Talfah, and he also expresses jealousy at the trust his father places in Kamel Hana. When Gegeo disrupts Uday's sexual advances towards his young victim, Uday butchers him with an electric carving knife in front of all of the guests. The next morning, Uday's bodyguards are seen dumping the naked, beaten body of the young girl.Saddam immediately becomes furious over Uday's latest indiscrestion and pays him a visit to a local clinic after Uday accidently takes an overdose of sleeping pills to calm down. While Latif watches, Saddam gives Uday a severe beating in his hospital bed for the killing of Gegeo and even threatens to kill him, but calms down and decides to spare Uday because he is still his first-born son and heir to the leadership of Iraq. As Saddam leaves Uday's room he mutters to Latif, "I should have killed him at birth."In January 1991, Latif, acting as Uday, is sent to Basra to rally support among Republican Guard soldiers as Coalition forces have taken control of the war. At Basra, another attempt is made on Latif's life. To Uday's great concern, Latif nearly loses a pinky in the assault, which presumably would mean Uday would have to have his amputated to maintain their resemblance, but doctors are able to save Latif's finger.Later, Latif is confronted by the father of the young girl that Uday killed. Uday eavesdrops on the conversation and is outraged by the man's pleas for "justice" and "compassion." Uday orders Latif to kill the man, but Latif refuses and instead slits his own wrists, to Uday's amusement. After Latif recovers, he confronts Uday at his birthday party. The confrontation escalates to a shootout and Latif escapes in Uday's Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC with Uday's lover, Sarrab (Ludivine Sagnier) whom has recently become romanticaly involved with Latif. The two escape to Malta, but Sarrab, fearing for her three-year-old daughter in Iraq, calls Uday begging for the chance to return without being harmed. A would-be assassin sent by Uday just misses shooting Latif almost as soon as they arrive on the island. Uday calls Latif and offers him one final chance to return to Iraq, threatening to kill his father if he refuses. Latif says he will not return and his father is killed.Latif confronts Sarrab with her telling Uday where she is out of fear for her daughter's safety. Latif tells her that he will not help her get her daughter out of Iraq and tells her to leave, but gives her some money to live so she can live off of for a while. The distraught Sarrab walks out on Latif and goes off on her own.However, Latif does return to Iraq, not to continue to serve as Uday's double, but rather to kill him, with the help of a man whose bride killed herself after being raped and beaten by Uday on their wedding day. In an adapted version of the attempt on Uday's life made by the 15th Shaaban in 1996, Latif and his partner ambush Uday while he is attempting to lure young girls into his Porsche 911 Targa. They wound him severely, including consistent with unconfirmed reports of the real-life attack mangling his genitals with a direct shot. One of Uday's bodyguards catches up to Latif as he flees the scene. The guard, however, is the same one who Latif could have killed as he fled from Uday's birthday party before leaving the country but spared, and the guard extends him the same courtesy.A disclaimer in the final shots reveals that Latif Yahia currently lives somewhere in Ireland under a false name with his wife and two children and has written a book based on his life. Uday Hussein survived the assasination attempt, but was temporarily crippled, and made a partial recovery. He was later killed in 2003 by American troops during the Second Gulf War.

Tags: revenge, historical, murder

Review:
Anyway, if he missed a few and looked in a wrong direction at some instances, I did not notice it and I think the same of other people seeing this film for the first time.At various moments throughout the screening the notion crossed my mind that this movie could be construed as a justification of overturning the Sadam regime, or (in other words) as propaganda in favor of George W for a completed project in Iraq.
It follows Latif Yahia (Dominic Cooper), an Iraqi soldier from an upper class family, who is plucked from the war to act as Uday's double.
The posters for director Lee Tamahori's The Devil's Double (18) declare it to be "Scarface of Arabia", referring both to Brian De Palma's 1983 gangster opus Scarface and the film's setting during Saddam Hussein's brutal rule in Iraq.
The Devil's Double is based on the true story of Latif Yahia, an Iraqi soldier chosen by the regime to be the body-double of the dictator's infamous son Uday, with both roles played by Dominic Cooper.The perks of the job are acceptable: enough designer clothing and willing women to make the average Premiership footballer looking like a trappist monk.
Instigating nightclub orgies while American bombs are exploding and shooting at loyal companions in psychotic rages are all part of Uday's regular routine.The direction, intermingling footage of Operation Desert Storm with debauchery, captures the craziness of Uday and Latif's world with a lurid style.Again, like a great underworld film, Cooper's performance as the central villain is masterful, capturing Uday's menacing madness and chewing the scenery in between sucking breasts or shovelling cocaine up his nose.
If you want to see great acting from Dominic Cooper, then this is the movie for you.When you go see it, ask yourself, what would you have done in the same situation as the main character Latif Yahia?
Based on the true story of Latif Yahia, the man forced to become the Fiday or body Double of Uday , Saddam Hussein's oldest and psychotic son.
There are particular scenes in this film depicting crude torture techniques which are quite gut wrenching for the audience.Dominic Cooper plays the dual role of Uday Hussein and the man 'taken' to be his body double, Latif Yahia.
Based on the true story of Latif Yahia and his best selling book of the same name,the Devil's Double sticks pretty much with the book apart from some scenes where Lee Tamahori the director took some poetic license.
The Devil's Double is a great action packed thriller of a movie with fantastic performances from not one but two actors playing 'Doubles' Philip Quast (Saddam Hussein) also plays Saddam's Double Faoz Al-Emiri ( I think I got that right) and although you don't see too much of him you know instantly who he is when he's on screen!
One thing I will say is that I enjoyed it thoroughly, it hit all the right marks for me, if I wanted accurate information on Iraq I'd watch the History channel, this is a movie, even the guy (Latif Yahia) whose life story it's based on has said "hey, it's a movie", but don't let that fool you into thinking you can walk away from it without having to think about the reality of that situation and what you or I would have done in the Double's place.
I really liked the movie, it was fast and flashy with great music and brilliant acting, the lead actor is Dominic Cooper, he plays both Uday Hussein and his body double Latif Yahia, his portrayal of Uday in particualr is just amazing!
STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday MorningAs the Gulf War heats up in the early 1990s, soldier and former school friend of Uday Hussein (Dominic Cooper) Latif Yahia (also Cooper) finds himself summoned by the maniacal dictator's son himself to act as his double, so he can appear to be fighting the Kuwaitis with the army while secretly continuing to live his debauched, lawless lifestyle.
But when he is pushed too far, Latif rebels, with deadly consequences.With a colourful but ill judged promotional poster that sets the wrong tone for the type of film it is, The Devil's Double was a little seen film from last year, that daringly cast a light on the honour and integrity of Uday Hussein, who some years on from his death in the Iraq war and even with his reputation as a merciless psychopath common knowledge, could still have some loyal followers that might want to make life hell for the film makers.
I have heard rumours that the lead actor Dominic Cooper who played both the parts of Latif Yahia and Uday Hussein may be nominated for an Academy award, that would be amazing!
The Devil's Double has just opened here in Malta to great acclaim, not only because it was filmed here but because of it's great story and outstanding performances by Dominic Cooper, Philip Quast, french actress Ludivine Sagnier and really the whole cast, everyone really pulls together to make this one of the best movies that I have seen in a long time.
Yes, I am a little biased because it was made in Malta but no one could have pulled the Uday/Latif performances off like Dominic Cooper has, that guy is Oscar worthy.
It has literally everything you would want in a film, a great story line with flawless acting by Dominic Cooper.This movie is defiantly great, it keeps you on the edge of your seat, with blistering action, sexy scenes and powerful words.
As we didn't know much about internal affairs of Iraq during Saddam's era,I think director Lee has made a good opportunity for us to know about those time and the crimes of Saddam's son Uday.This movie specially reveals how Uday abuse the power to satisfy his lust to women and also his freakishness about how brutally he tortured and killed people.This movie made a good point that there would never be good justices by dictators.This movie also showed the very luxurious life including whores and slaves of Saddam's family which resemblance to medieval king and emperors.
Director lee made a note about history that Stalin,Shah,Saddam used double,which is an unrevealed fact.The acting of Dominic is simply extraordinary.He played two roles uday and latif which were very opposite roles.But he has made very good distinction of these two characters in whole movie.Performing the character of uday was so hard but he made it successfully by his talent and diligence.Director Lee has made a brilliant job here.His making,screenplay were simply mind blowing..
THE DEVIL'S DOUBLE does look promising on paper, telling an unusual story in an unusual setting, but unfortunately the execution is sub-par and the whole thing turns out to be a waste of time.The story features lead actor Dominic Cooper playing two separate roles.
The Devil's Double is that movie, based on the true story of Latif Yahia, the Iraqi Army Lieutenant forced to become the double for Saddam Hussein's eldest son Uday Hussein it is a gripping, violent (although some of the stronger scenes are left to the imagination) emotional roller-coaster ride.
I've heard through the grapevine that there may be a push for an Oscar nomination for the lead, Dominic Cooper, it's well deserved, his dual role as both the victim Latif Yahia and the villain Uday Hussein are indeed the stuff of Oscar making dreams, his ability to swap between the two roles is for want of a better word brilliant, you are never, ever, left wondering who you are watching on the screen, unless of course that is the desired effect.
Both of the main roles are played by an English actor called Dominic Cooper with French actress Ludivine Sagnier as love interest to both Latif and Uday, notable roles include Philip Quast as Saddam Hussein, Mimoun Oaissa as Ali one of Uday's henchmen, Raad Rawi as Munem Hammed Latif's trainer, Mem Ferda as Saddam's best friend and food taster Kamel Hannah, great work all round and great direction from Lee Tamahori who brings his action background to great force here.
The Devil's Double is a tour de force in writing, directing and especially with Dominic Cooper playing both Uday and Latif.
THE DEVIL'S DOUBLE is a surprise film - a film that is not only informative in that it is based on a true story, but it is also an examination of the corruption of Saddam Hussein's (Philip Quast) control of Iraq, AND it also happens to display one of the finest acting performances by a male actor this year.
Dominic Cooper is doubly exceptional playing both the man from whom the story was obtained - Latif Yahia - as well as the 'Black Devil' Uday Saddam Hussein, Saddam Hussein's despicably rotten, psychopathic, drug addicted, Lothario and brutal murderer oldest son.There is a term 'fiday' which means body double.
The brilliance of this film is focused on the dual roles Dominic Cooper plays - Latif and Uday - two men as opposite from each other as could be imagined.
More than fantastic performance by Dominic Cooper doing both Uday and Latif's characters.Every movie cannot be in the Oscar nomination top 10 list.
Most people, when asked what they thought of THE DEVIL'S DOUBLE, will likely respond with, "Is that one of those possession movies that came out last year?"Dominic Cooper is the most "mainstream" actor in the film (and, again, I personally only recognize him from CAPTAIN America); the remainder of the cast, while they may be major outside the U.S., were unknowns in my case.
This was an intense film that really got me involved in the story, but I admit my interest started waning in the final act of the movie when Latif reaches his breaking point and decides to cut ties with Uday and the Hussein regime.
Although it was not marketed as such, I along with other people described it as the Scarface of the Middle East.The movie is very loosely based on the true story of Latif Tahia (Dominic Cooper) who in the early to mid 90's was forced to throw away his own life and be the "double" of the widely hated, morally deprived but unlimitedly powerful son of Saddam Hussein, Uday Hussein (Dominic Cooper).
The Devil's Double is based on the true story of Latif Yahia an Iraqi Lieutenant kidnapped from the front-line in the Iran/Iraq war to become the body double for Saddam Hussein's notoriously vicious and sadistic son Uday.
Dominic Cooper gives an outstanding performance in the Dual roles of Latif and Uday Saddam Hussein, never leaving you guessing who exactly he is playing at any one time but cementing the belief that there are two men in opposing roles.
"The Devil's Double",as many of you know a book written by Latif Yahia himself about the demented time that was forced on him by Uday Saddam Hossain.
The start of the film is the beginning which everyone wants to see in a film because it wastes no time and it follows through out the movie only showing you the best/shocking/interesting part of the life span of Latif and Uday and Iraq itself.
In presence of casting, Dominic Cooper's British accent sometime popped out in sentences but his brilliant performance kept me thrilled through out the film, at first he even fooled me in making me believe there was a double.In short the movie was brilliant in capturing the realism of the terror in Iraq's eye and arraying into a story filled with action, fear, reality and life.
This movie follows Latif Yahia and his road in becoming, living, and leaving the life as a double for Uday Hussein, the son of Saddam Hussein.
The movie becomes a little slow towards the end and I found that The Devil's Double falls apart due to a story that didn't know where to go, but the entire movie is worth seeing just to watch Dominic Cooper's Oscar worthy performance.
What this movie intends to show is the perspective of his Fiday (body double), Latif Yahia (also played by Dominic Cooper).
'THE DEVIL'S DOUBLE': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five) A brutally violent biopic based on a book written by a man, named Latif Yahia, who claims to have been a body double for Saddam Hussein's son, Uday.
As in the case of Latif Yahia, the man who claimed he was forcibly made to act as the body double to Saddam Hussein's eldest son, Uday.Nowadays many people discredit Yahia but his outlandish story made it to a feature film giving Dominic Cooper dual roles.
Based on the true story of Latif who is chosen to be the body double of Saddam Hussein's son, Uday.
Film Review: "The Devil's Double" (2011)Here a completely by his leading actor Dominic Cooper, in best form, carrying the picture about the Saddam Hussein's son life style and the story from his inches alike body double the character Latif Yahia directed by Lee Tamahori, granted with a fairly-paced script by Michael Thomas based on real-life memories, brought together to an appealing thrilling psycho-drama, which gets ultimately enriched by the truthfully transcending relationship to the character of Sarrab, Uday Hussein's first lady, portrayed by erotic-striking actress Ludivine Sagnier, who with her laissez-faire acting style and immensely build up chemistry to actor Dominic Cooper, making the "The Devil's Double" a secretly to encounter piece of motion picture entertainment with minor suspense dissatisfaction, when it comes to the story's conclusion, worth the watch nevertheless.© 2017 Felix Alexander Dausend (Cinemajesty Entertainments LLC).
The film was based on the book of the same name that tells the true story of a young Iraqi man Latif, who was forced to body double the Saddam Hussein's playboy son, Uday.
To make the movie confronting and compelling, the story should have been told warts and all.Decent performance by Dominic Cooper, appearing as both Uday Hussein and his doppelganger, Latif Yahia.
As told from the perspective of Latif Yahia, who was forced to serve as Uday Hussein's body double, it's impossible to tell how much of this horrific story is true and how much is embellished.
From the disputed book by Latif Yahia, this is his real(?) story of being forced to be Uday Hussein's double.
Nevertheless this film, based on real life, is worth seeing for Dominic Cooper's superlative performance as Latif/Uday..
The film tells the story of Uday Hussein and Latif Yahia - who is forced to become Uday's 'fiday' - his body double.
Set in war-torn Iraq, The Devil's Double tells the story of Saddam Hussein's son, Uday, and his highly look alike double, Latif.
The acting by Dominic Cooper who plays both Latif and Uday Hussein is amazing.
As Latif Yahia, Cooper plays a genuinely nice citizen of Iraq who gets forced into the role of "fiday" or body double for Saddam's evil son Uday.
The movie is very difficult to watch because of the actions of this guy, but Cooper's performance makes it worthwhile.The support work is provided by Ludivine Sagnier (Swimming Pool) as Uday's lover, who also risks her life by getting cozy with Latif.
It's not that well known that his oldest son , who was a nut job , also had a double and this the story of Uday Hussein and his reluctant double Latif.The Devil's Double is an interesting story that is told in an over the top extravagant way and is entertaining for the most part but i would have liked this film much more if the director took it a little bit more seriously.
Dominic Cooper's tour de force performance in this highly fictionalized account of the relationship between Saddam Hussein's spoiled, drug-addled, sociopathic son Uday and his unwilling double, Latif Yahia, largely holds "The Devil's Double" together, but even he can't save it when its narrative falls to pieces.
This is the story of Latif Yahia during the period of his life when he was forced to play body double for Uday Hussein.
At it's heart this film is about the fear generated by one powerful, violent and insane man and how people learn to live with him.Dominic Cooper played both of the lead roles, Uday Hussein and Latif Yahia, and was amazing.
Now Dominic Cooper plays both young Hussein and latif the man forced to be his double and this performance shows just how good an actor Cooper is.
A gangster movie set in Baghdad in the 80's, the fact that it's based on a true story doesn't really hit you until you walk out, and you completely believe that the lead Dominic Cooper is two different people.
Definitely the movie of the year so far, can't believe that the guy who played Latif and Uday (British actor Dominic Cooper) is also in Captain America.
Three are three very good reasons to go to see The Devil's Double, firstly Dominic Cooper, outstanding in his dual roles as the good guy (Latif Yahia) and the bad guy (Uday Saddam Hussein).
Three are three very good reasons to go to see The Devil's Double, firstly Dominic Cooper, outstanding in his dual roles as the good guy (Latif Yahia) and the bad guy (Uday Saddam Hussein).
Based on the true story of how Latif Yahia was forced to become Uday's body double or bullet-catcher, it's riveting stuff.
Based on the true story of how Latif Yahia was forced to become Uday's body double or bullet-catcher, it's riveting stuff.
Having watched a few other Iraq films, I would have to say that The Devil's Double has the best Saddam I've seen yet, the actor, Philip Quast really looks and acts the part, it's incredible.
Having watched a few other Iraq films, I would have to say that The Devil's Double has the best Saddam I've seen yet, the actor, Philip Quast really looks and acts the part, it's incredible.