Multiplicity *** (1996, Michael Keaton, Andie MacDowell, Harris Yulin, Richard Masur, Eugene Levy, Ann Cusack) – Classic Movie Review 1114

In co-writer/ director Harold Ramis’s thoroughly entertaining 1996 movie, Michael Keaton stars as Doug Kinney, an LA construction worker who never has enough time for the things he wants to do but finds a neat solution to an over-busy work and home crisis. It all starts when Doug meets friendly scientist Dr Owen Leeds (Harris Yulin), a geneticist who has developed a successful method for cloning humans.

The scientist eventually makes three clones of Doug, who sends in the clones to do all he needs to do by being in four places at once in this amusing, often very inventive fantasy comedy with good special effects.

If you like Keaton, you’re in for a four-course treat. He’s really amusing here, four times over.

Andie MacDowell from Ramis’s Groundhog Day adds allure as Doug’s understandably surprised wife, and there’s a good support cast to fill out the dull, empty spaces at the script’s corners. Zack Duhame, Katie Schlossberg, Richard Masur, Ann Cusack, Brian Doyle-Murray (Bill Murray’s brother also from Groundhog Day) and Eugene Levy co-star.

Sadly and surprisingly, the film was not a success at the box office, making back less than half of its $45 million budget. The original score is composed by George Fenton. It’s based on a short story by Chris Miller, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ramis.

Harold Ramis died on February 24 2014 at age 69 from complications of auto-immune inflammatory vasculitis. He wrote the screenplays of Animal House, Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day, Analyze This, Analyze That and Bedazzled.

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© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Film Review 1114 derekwinnert.com