Movie Review

Keaton's latest filled with cliches

By Scott Foundas
Film Editor

If it's possible for a movie to be too original,innovative and ingenious for its own good, then "Multiplicity"is it--Harold Ramis' new comedy never satisfactorily followsthrough on its fresh, funny premise.
Michael Keaton stars as Doug Kinney, a constructionforeman who places his job first and his family second andwhose personal life could generously be described as a shambles.His wife (Andie MacDowell) wants to go back to work and thinksDoug should spend more time with their two kids and take oversome of the household chores. Meanwhile, his boss (Richard Masur)only wants to increase Doug's workload. What's an average guyto do? Why, clone himself, of course, thanks to the offer ofan eccentric scientist (Harris Yulin) who promises he can giveDoug the miracle of more time and increased productivity.
So, with little further ado, we have two Doug Kinneysto keep track of and, almost immediately, "Multiplicity" revealsits inability to keep up with the proverbial can of worms openedby this plot twist. To begin with, Kinney keeps his clone, knownas 2, in a garage apartment where he is entirely separatedfrom Doug's wife and kids. This is an especially tough notionto swallow if you buy into the central premise that 2 possessesall the same feelings and memories as the original Doug rightup to the moment of cloning.
It's even more of a stretch to accept that 2 couldpossibly be content doubling for Doug only at work, or thatDoug would be satisfied for very long playing golf and doinghousework all day long. As soon as these issues finally arise,though, they are conveniently quelled with the introductionof a second clone, known as 3. And so, "Multiplicity" plodsalong in the gentle, reassuring manner of a TV sitcom (allthat's missing is the laugh track), with the expected "wacky"confusion resulting from the interaction of the three Dougs.
Truth be told, a couple of moments of genuinely riotousfarce do result from some rather obvious shenanigans (such asan encounter between two of the Dougs in the same restaurant),but it comes as a disappointment to see Ramis and his four (count`em: four) co-screenwriters content themselves with such simplepleasures. They have conceived an intriguing scenario, but nosooner have they grabbed the attention of the attentive, inquisitive moviegoer than they let it down with a resoundingthud. There's never any explanation for the distinctly differentpersonalities of the clones, or why the effeminate 3 would findhimself unable to answer certain basic questions about a worksite when filling in at work for the macho, beer-slobbering2. Plus, the fierce conflict and suspicion that would almostcertainly arise not just amongst the clones, but between theclones and Doug's family and friends, is never brought tofruition.
Of course, it's possible to expect too much from this inoffensive ditty, but Ramis offers up the bait for suchthought. "Multiplicity" calls out for greater invention in thespecifics of its plot than the pat, formulaic situationspresented. Ultimately, much of the film differs little frommovies like "Tootsie" and "Mrs. Doubtfire," where one charactermerely pretends to be two people at once. Beyond that,"Multiplicity" demands little of Andie MacDowell, who is not requiredto do much more than act confounded or glance suspectingly,never directly confronting her husband about his erraticbehavioral shifts or his frequent visits to that garageapartment.
For Keaton, "Multiplicity" is a field day that allowshim to (ultimately) play four variations on his staid screenpersona. It's dexterous work and quite amusing for a while,as we try to sort out the previous screen incarnations of Keatonthat the clones seem to represent. Doug is more or less theactor's usual gig--the sweet, but headstrong, dependable familyman, while 2 seems like the young, punkish Keaton of "NightShift." 3 is a minor riff on the even more subdued,family-friendly Keaton of pictures like "Mr. Mom" and "My Life,"with the late-to-arrive 4 (a copy of a copy) an intensely comicexaggeration of mental retardation that seems like "Beetlejuice"on acid.
All that is to say that each Doug Kinney is MichaelKeaton for better or worse. The four personalities are convincingonly as slight variances on the generic personality of an actorwho may be one of the most consistently dull in movies today.It is a performance of great range only in a relative sense.
In a summer of major movie disappointments,"Multiplicity" is an easy film to digest if only because ofits lightheartedness, unpretentious air, and the fact that itdidn't cost $100 million. It is not an unpleasant moviegoingexperience, but an empty one that consistently disappointsfollowing the hope and wonder of its initial moments. This isnever more true than at the cop-out ending, which is as safeand banal as any in recent films.
Throughout "Multiplicity,"it is difficult to forget how much better a similar premisewas put to use by Ramis in his previous "Groundhog Day." Thatmovie also treated MacDowell as an intelligent, sophisticated,yet tentative love interest for Bill Murray (a more daring andinteresting performer than Keaton). Would "Multiplicity" haveworked better with Murray in the lead? Would the film seem betterif it had been conceived as a short? Perhaps. The majordifference, however, is that "Groundhog Day" used as aspringboard the kind of gimmick that "Multiplicity" insistson making its entire subject. As a result, we never see beyondthe gimmick in a movie sabotaged by its own good intentions. C-