Continuing the evolution of faith-based cinema, The Identical is a film that will certainly appeal to its core audience succeeding as an engaging, energetic drama that takes its faith seriously (even if, as we learn, there’s some complexity to its central character’s faith that is largely left unexplored). Inspired by Elvis as Velvet Goldmine was inspired by David Bowie, The Identical tells an interesting story, but the choices it makes to tell it are unfortunately problematic. The dialogue and the voice-over are quite pedestrian and predictable while first-time filmmaker Dustin Marcellino lacks the confidence to hold on a scene for longer than should be required. It’s less a character study than it is a drama that’s directed by the numbers.
Yet it remains engaging even if the storytelling devices are exceedingly trite. While the harder edges of Elvis… I mean Drexel “The Dream” Hemsley’s biography remain hinted at, what remains is a genuinely American story about faith, talent and hard work. A good film could be made of this material, perhaps even with a few rewrites of Howard Klauser’s screenplay, but Marcellino’s picture is not that. Where it succeeds is the good deal of energetic music numbers featuring Blake Rayne, a recording artist and Elvis impersonator pulling double duty as Drexel and his identical brother Ryan. Rayne’s performance, his first acting credit, adds a credible texture to what otherwise may have been a painful experience.
Opening in the deep south (and in black and white), two penniless souls — William (Brian Geraghty) and Helen (Amanda Crew) — give birth to twins. After William stumbles alone into a sermon held in a tent, he convinces Helen to give up one of their sons Ryan, just a day old, to the preacher Reece (Ray Liotta) and wife Louise (Ashley Judd). Ryan’s life mirrors some of Elvis’ biography; he becomes interested in a black Honky Tonk bar across the county line — one that becomes a target for racist redneck cops — and is sent to the army by dad. Drexel, however, has emerged into the voice of his generation.
Ryan’s musical interest are, of course, suppressed by his father Reece and treated as sinful; his calling, he’s assured by dad, is to follow in his religious footsteps. While working part time and attending school he reconnects with Jenny (Erin Cottrell), who has served throughout the film as our narrator for some odd reason, and soon they marry after an all-too-brief on screen courtship. After taking a job with a kind mechanic, a Brooklyn transplant Avi (Joe Pantoliano), Ryan has more freedom to follow his “calling” and enters into a singing contest where he nails the look and sound of brother Drexel. Soon he’s on the road in a rather predictable montage (thankfully without the drugs and groupies — in fact, he doesn’t even drink). Jenny remains on the sidelines and the film avoids that awkward confrontation.
There’s a good deal of talent on screen, but The Identical misses the mark due to a number of poor choices made by the filmmakers. While it’s not a dull time, working within a fictional construct it lacks the depth to really make this come alive. A fictionalized work of American history, it white washes and simplifies the specters of the deep south — if only it didn’t, we might have had something worthwhile.
The Identical is now playing in wide release.