Multiplicity

Plot synopsis:
Doug Kinney (Michael Keaton) is a Los Angeles construction worker whose job is constantly getting in the way of his family. On one job to build a new wing of a scientific facility, Doug meets up with Dr. Leeds (Harris Yulin), a friendly scientist who has developed a successful method for cloning humans. Doug is introduced to Dr. Leeds' clone as proof. Dr. Leeds is sympathetic to Doug's troubles, so he allows Doug to clone himself so that the clone can take over for Doug at work, while the original Doug tries to spend some quality time with his family. The clone, called "Two" (although he calls himself "Lance"), has all of Doug's memories and knowledge, but his personality is an exaggeration of Doug's masculine side and he is especially macho. Doug does not reveal the cloning to his family and he goes to great lengths to keep it a secret. Although the clone seems to be a dream come true, while Doug and his wife Laura (Andie MacDowell) are at a restaurant for dinner, Doug finds that Two is on his own date (due to not being allowed to be with Laura). Doug realizes clones are not as great as they seem, and Doug begins to worry about his clone being revealed.
Despite the complications of having a clone, Lance is extremely busy at work so Doug decides to have another made to help out at home. "Three" (who calls himself "Rico") is a sharp contrast to Lance and is an exaggeration of Doug's feminine side. He has an extremely sensitive and thoughtful personality. He is much like a housewife and loves to cook and take care of the house, much to Lance's chagrin. However, things take a turn for the worse when Lance and Rico introduce "Four" (who refers to Doug as "Steve", and is later himself named Lenny). Lance and Rico decided to make another clone and he is cloned from Two/Lance, and has the mentality of an overly-curious child. Unfortunately, since he is a clone-of-a-clone, his IQ is considerably lower than that of his predecessors, and the personality defects are more pronounced when a clone is cloned (the analogy from the movie refers to how a copy of a copy may not be as 'sharp' as the original). This causes an annoyed Doug to decree that no more clones of him/them be created.
Doug decides to take some time off and goes on a sailing trip. He doesn't want Laura to know, so he has his clones step in for him and take his place while he's away. However, he specifically instructs them that Laura is off limits. While he is gone, each of the clones, in turn, run into Laura and, despite their best efforts to follow instructions (one plays sick, etc), she persists and eventually has sex with all three of them thinking they're Doug.
The next day, Lance has a cold and is unable to go to work, so he sends Rico. During an inspection on site, Rico's lack of knowledge about the current construction site annoys and upset the inspector, which leads to Doug losing his job.
As time passes, Doug's wife becomes increasingly upset with her husband's erratic behavior, as she is wondering about Doug's sudden personality changes throughout the day and how Doug continually has no memories of discussions Laura unwittingly had with another clone. Thinking Doug is ignoring her, she reveals her feelings to Lenny, mentioning how Doug has never kept his promise to fix up the house. When she asks him what he wants, an inattentive Lenny (who is oblivious to the meaning of her question) merely replies, "I want pizza". Upset, she takes the children and leaves, moving to stay at her parents' home. When Doug returns, he learns that Laura and the kids have left. He also learns from the clones' confessions that he has lost his job and each one of them has had sex with Laura.
While Doug tries to determine how to get Laura back, Lenny tells him about what Laura told Lenny about how he never fixed the house. With the help of the clones, Doug remodels the house and wins back the love of his wife. Doug also tells Laura he is planning to start his own construction business. Realizing Doug can take care of himself now, the three clones move away. As they are driving away and stopped at a stoplight, Laura finally sees the three clones in the car next to her. Feeling like she is hallucinating, she tells her children that you can tell you really love someone when everyone you see reminds you of them.
The clones write to Doug that they have set up a successful pizzeria called "Three Guys from Nowhere" in Miami, Florida and are masquerading as triplets. Lance becomes the businessman of the shop and serves customers, enjoying this opportunity to meet many women. Rico is the head chef and is "cooking up a storm and having a ball", and Lenny is the delivery boy as well as taking a second job as a paperboy. Unfortunately, Lenny confuses the two and is seen delivering pizzas by throwing the box onto the lawn as he rides his bike by.

Tags: stupid

Review:
Though nowhere near as good as Groundhog Day (director Harold Ramis's previous movie) this is still a solid comedy with several big laughs.
Multiplicity represents his funniest film work in years, and perhaps his best ever.A couple of scenes in particular stand out as howlingly funny set pieces - such as the one in the restaurant and the one where the clones are left alone with Keaton's wife, played by Andie McDowell.
I find it funny, especially Michael Keatons portrayal as a feminine Doug and a "special" Doug, who really gives the movie most of its comedy.
He was perfect in Pacific Heights and is still the 'Sean Connery' of the Batmen.But the reason I liked multiplicity was because for once, in a movie about clones, the clones werent out to sabotage the original due to their disgruntlement at playing 2nd 3rd and 4th fiddle.These clones try as hard as they can to abide by the rules and make sure that the original Michael Keaton's life runs as smoothly as possible: after all thats why they were spawned.
And it is really amusing listening to the clones refer to Michale Keaton's Character as Doug (or 'Steve' in the case of #4) but are quite happy and comfortable in referring to each other by the numerical order in which they were created.One of the most hilarious parts of the movie is when rule number one is put to the test....watch it and you'll see what I mean.....and also how number 2 warns number 3 that Dougs wife is going upstairs.............
It's hard to get bored over the course of the movie because you keep wanting to see what Michael Keatons various personalities are going to do next.
This is one of those films that maybe the first time you watch it, you just think, "eh." But on subsequent viewings you realize how funny it is and the absolutely great characters & how well developed each one of the Michael Keaton's are.
I'm hoping that someday people will realize just how funny Michael Keaton can be in film & that he wasn't just BATMAN!
Michael Keaton is a workaholic who doesn't have any time for his family, so he goes to a scientist who clones him so he can have the best of both worlds.
I loved the part where the duplicates make one of themselves, whom the original Keaton refers to as "Rain Man." The bedroom, home, and work scenes are all hilarious, and the movie also has a good cast.
Doug Kinney never has enough time to do what he wants to do, his life is frantic and his family life is strained, then one day he gets the chance to have himself duplicated.It would seem that a lot of complaints about this film are about it being a waste of a good premise, well for sure Multiplicity is far from being a comic masterpiece, but to say it doesn't deliver laughs set amongst its charming romantic heart, is a touch unfair I feel.
What we get here is four Doug Kinney's, each one having its own driving personality to make it real easy for the audience to distinguish which is which, and with Michael Keaton delivering four excellent performances as the Dougs, the comic relief flows pretty much all thru the picture.However, director Harold Ramis is guilty of staying safe with the material because from the off the conclusion is never in doubt, the feel good factor is evident even as the Dougs are chaotically imploding.
Well no as far as I'm concerned, Multiplicity is a tidy fusion of comedy and romance that isn't taking the science literally.For Doug number 4 alone, with his skiing skills and pizza fetish, this film deserves 7/10, whilst Keaton deserves far higher..
Michael Keaton's character Doug is so busy with his work that the neglects his family.
The parts Keaton plays are all different from each other and the movie gets funnier as it goes along unlike other comedies that are played out towards the end.
i have watched this movie numerous times,and i find that it seems less funny,more amusing,the more times i watch it.even so,as far as i know,it is an original film,and there are a few scenes which are still hysterically funny every time.the acting is good from all concerned,but the funniest person in the movie,in my opinion,is Eugene Levy.he has what amounts to a bit more than cameo role,but he is brilliant.some of actions and reactions to situation in the film are a riot.Michael Keaton is also good in the lead role,and Andie MacDowell is also good,not to mention easy on the eyes.the movie is directed by Harold Ramis.('Ghost Busters' 1 and 2,'Groundhog Day')if you like his other movies,chances are you will like 'Mutiplicity'.for me,Multiplicity gets 7/10.
Doug (Keaton) a stressed-out contractor, decides to get a clone so he can have more time with his family.
very original concept and michael keaton does a wonderful job of portraying himself in the slight different clones.i was very surprised with this film.
Doug Kinney is a man who has many problems.He is very busy with his job and doesn't have much time for his family.In one day at work he meets a man who "saves" him.He is multiplied by this man and now he has much time for his family.His clones replace him at work and now he can stay with his kids, but this is not what he thought to be an easy thing.His clones has the same appearance but different personalities.One is shy, one is serious and one is retarded.It's message is that we all are different..
The plot is pretty silly but the four roles played by Keaton were quite entertaining.I wouldn't really rent this movie but if it comes on TV I would recommend that you see it..
MULTIPLICITY (1996) **1/2Starring: Michael Keaton, Andie MacDowell, Eugene Levy, Zack Duhame, and Ann Cusack Directed by Harold Ramis.
The Doug clones get the real Doug fired from his job, Laura leaves, and each of the clones manages to bed Laura.Instead of indulging us with fulfilling our interests, like lettingLaura to discover the clones and react humorously, the movie changes content when Doug desperately tries to get his wife, and life, back.
Keaton had to shoot each scene 3-4 times with the parts of the previously filmed clones playing on monitors off screen to get the interaction right.
Like I said,I think its one of Keaton's best films right along side the two Batman movies he did,Birdman,and,of course, Beetlejuice..
Intended to make Doug's life easier, all these 3 clones do is introduce increasing chaos, and at times it is hilarious.Really the only other cast member of note is Andie MacDowell (who teams again with director Harold Ramis as she did in "Groundhog Day") as Doug's increasingly confused wife Laura.
Unfortunately, the movie revolves so completely around Doug and the clones that MacDowell, while she was good enough and as always quite lovely, seemed to fade into the background more often than not, so that her talents were generally underused.
She's more impressive opposite Bill Murray in "Groundhog Day" than she is here, but that's more a result of the type of movie and the role that it asked of her rather than any deficiency in her performance.This is almost two hours long - which might be a little bit too much for this type of silly comedy.
Still, it's a funny movie, and Keaton's performance is worth watching.
Doug Kinney (Michael Keaton) is a over-working contractor, who never has the time for his wife Laura (Andie MacDowell) and their two children (Zack Duhame & Katie Schlossberg).
Now Doug has to try to make things work, since his wife and his kids thinks that Doug is been acting quite weird.Directed by Harold Ramis (Analyze This, Club Paradise, The Ice Harvest) made an entertaining fantasy comedy that is actually quite serious in tone at times.
Keaton is actually quite good in the four roles, which the three clones has different personalities.
The basic premise of the movie: A working man is pressed for time, so he buys clones of himself.
Oh dear....The plot is not even internally sensible (forget about the logic of a middle-class man buying clones made through a doctor's office procedure), and plays like a filmed bullet-list of obligatory romantic-comedy scenes faxed over from Central Scripting.
His wife Laura (Andie MacDowell) would like to go back to work but there isn't enough time for the kids already.
We have a saying if you do not show up to work on Saturday do not bother to turn up on Sunday.This leaves him with little time with his wife Laura (Andie MacDowell) and the kids and his wants to go back to work as the kids are now old enough.Doug encounters a scientist, Dr Leeds on his latest job at the Gemini Institute which is involved in cloning.
The clones are supposed to make life easier for Doug who thought he could spend time relaxing but in fact complicates it.Keaton does well interacting with the various versions of himself but the comedy is strained and not particularly funny..
It has its moments, I certainly enjoyed seeing Michael Keaton struggle to manage a life with clones, seeing him communicate with himself was very funny and there are many parts that I found baffling to imagine how it was made.
As a comedy, it has funny parts but not enough, it never really takes full advantage of it's fun and unique story, it could have used Doug's struggles with work and family to a larger comedic affect, there also could have been more clones, he only has three, despite the poster suggesting that the plot goes way out of hand, and that's the biggest problem, it never does.
The film is far too predictable, once the clones arrive you can predict all the problems that await Doug from a mile away, there's is never any real sort of twist or unexpected moment that turns the entire plot on its head, it's simply too safe, and because of that we are left with a Michael Keaton starring, Harold Ramis directed, movie that lets you down.
That's fine, because there are lessons to be learned and the lead actors are so good I'm willing to see them do anything.Michael Keaton does a very good job playing four distinct characters: Steve (original Doug), Lance (the first clone, a macho pig), Rico (the sensitive and effeminate second clone), and Lenny (because he is a copy of a copy, he is "special").Andie MacDowell is very funny in a series of scenes that begins with her in a sexy nightie and ends with her in just a pajama top.When more than one Doug is on screen, it really looks as if both or all are there.
Michael Keaton plays a busy man who doesn't have enough time between his demanding construction job and his family (Andie MacDowell plays his wife).
I think that overall, it shows that Michael Keaton really works best in comedy (see "Night Shift", "Mr. Mom" and "The Dream Team").
In MULTIPLICITY, Michael Keaton works extremely hard as a contractor named Doug Kinney who is so stressed out by work that he doesn't have time for his family or anything else for that matter.
Doug #2 is all about work (or so Doug thinks)leaving Doug more time with his wife (Andie McDowell)and kids, but Doug gets spoiled and decides he needs even more time so he gets cloned again and Doug #3 is very domestic and is an expert in the kitchen, very Felix Unger-like to the point where he starts criticizing McDowell about her skills in the kitchen, but this does free up Doug more and allow McDowell the opportunity to return to work.
Once Doug #4 (who being a copy of a copy, turns out to be kind of retarded)appears on the scene, the film begins to lose its momentum but it's a fun ride for most of the way, thanks to remarkable work by Michael Keaton..
Indeed, he managed to express himself the individual personality of his four characters even if the last one has no interest at all.But it is a pity that the movie doesn't go deeply enough into most of the comical situations and the script, especially contains quite a lot of implausibilities that are really unacceptable."Multiplicity" is eventually a comedy that has its funny moments but in which you could have wished more rigor, more mastery..
The big problem is, instead of trying to find humor out of normal situations, these so-called "comedies" just try to get by on outrageous situations which may not be inherently funny anyway, and are usually more smug than funny.This movie is based on an outrageous situation, but at least director Harold Ramis and star Michael Keaton try to stick to the everyday whenever possible.
Sure, as with every Ramis film, there are cloying times, especially during the end, and clone #3, the homemaker, is too much of a stereotype to work, but Keaton keeps the energy level up, he's always funny to watch, and the result is better than you'd think.
A very funny movie with a great cast including Michael Keaton as the four doug's and Andie MacDowell as the wife.
That can kind of be forgiven though, because this is supposed to be a feel good romantic comedy, purely for entertainment.Michael Keaton is great in this movie.
If the big expectation would have been the presence of multiples Michael Keaton on the screen, his talent makes forget all the technical effects, because each of his clone has his own personality.
Doug Kinney (Michael Keaton) wants to make some time for his work, kids and wife.Dr Leeds (Harris Yulin) has a solution for all of his problems:cloning.And Doug goes for it.Of course everything gets out of hands and Doug finds himself with three clones.And all of them are different.That makes Doug's wife Laura (Andie MacDowell) wondering.Multiplicity from 1996 is nice comedy from Harold Ramis.There are some laughable moments in the movie.The restaurant scene is absolutely hilarious.Acting work is brilliant.All the Michaels are great.This movie is way underrated.I enjoyed it very much.It's interesting to see a movie about cloning.It may not take such a long time when human cloning is reality.Watch this movie all you comedy lovers out there.Now I have to go and clone myself.I can't handle this writing all by myself..
Multiplicity is a very original movie, where Michael Keaton did a very good acting job.
Doug Kinney (Michael Keaton) is very busy with his job so he doesn't have time to spend a night with his wife and kids and starts cloning himself.
But it gets a little out of the hand.I give this movie a 7 out of 10, because Michael Keaton is one of my favourite actors..
With Multiplicity, Ramis has crafted a likable, slightly underrated feature, but one that still falls short of the inventive heights of Groundhog Day.Doug Kinney (Michael Keaton) is a stressed out construction worker.
So when Doug decides to go away for the weekend, the clones are left in charge and chaos erupts.I've always thought Michael Keaton often seems like he has more than one person inside of him, which makes him ideally cast for Multiplicity.
Like a masterful performance from Michael Keaton, great effects, and Harold Ramis again demonstrating that he may be the only director in the world who can actually get a good performance from Andie MacDowell..
Doug Kinney (Michael Keaton) owns a construction company, but finds the demands of the job as well as the needs of his family (a wife and two kids) are just stretching him too thin.
The plot - overworked, underpaid and unappreciated everyman construction worker Doug Kinney (Michael Keaton) never has enough time for his family or for himself.
While I remembered the broad gist of the story and some funny complications most of it was pretty fresh to me.Michael Keaton is Doug Kinney working for a big building contractor in Los Angeles.
All playing on the idea that, much like making Xerox copies, each one is a bit different from the original.Then the big surprise comes when one of the clones makes a clone of himself and a big deviation occurs, #4 is very goofy and strange in a number of ways, #2 and #3 begin to affectionately call him "Rainman." Andie MacDowell is really good as the wife, Laura.
And when you have a good actor like Michael Keaton - there are potential.However, the film is dumb.
I did, however, enjoy the deal with cloning #4 from #2 and getting someone who is described as "special." #3's explanation about making a copy of a copy, and having it not be as sharp as the original, is probably the best part of the movie..
One is more of a mans man, one has Doug's feminine side and one is like a young child...and a bit simple.This allows Keaton to showcase his comedic skills with different performances for each clone, and it works nicely.
When he has a clone doing his job, he finds that housekeeping takes over all of his free time, so he gets one to do his jobs there.The clones, interestingly enough, begin to develop their own personalities (which shows us Michael Keaton's acting ability), but the original is not interested in them leading their own lives.
It sort of plays like a sequel to "Mr. Mom", as Michael (or his clone) eventually ends up playing a "Mr. Mom" so his wife can return to work, this time, as a "Realtor".
Michael does a great job portraying 4 different personalities, including a macho-man, a metro-sexual, a "goofy" copy, and himself, Doug One. The funniest scene in the movie involves Laura's rampant sexuality, right after Doug warns all the clones "not to sleep with my wife".
Andie Mcdowell, as Laura, is quite good as his long-suffering wife, but she isn't Terri Garr, so she pretty much plays the "straight-man" to Doug and 3 clones.