Identicals Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A guy’s girlfriend gets identity-swapped by a corporate cult, so he joins them to find her, only to discover everyone’s basically swapping lives like Pokémon cards, leading to extreme confusion and slow-motion staring contests.

🍿 Identicals: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Introduction to Brand New-U and Identicals

In a near-future setting, the clandestine organization known as Brand New-U offers a radical solution for those seeking to ‘upgrade’ their lives. This company identifies ‘Identicals’ – individuals who share uncanny resemblances but lead vastly different lives. Their service involves relocating a client into the better life of an Identical, often implying the elimination of the original.

Slater’s Perfect Life Interrupted

Slater appears to live an idyllic existence, complete with a fulfilling job and a loving girlfriend, Nadia. However, his world is shattered when Brand New-U agents abduct Nadia, leaving a corpse in her place. This traumatic event forces Slater into the very system he now despises, compelling him to become an ‘Identical’ himself as a means to find his lost love and evade murder charges.

A Journey Through Parallel Lives

As Slater navigates a series of alternate lives orchestrated by Brand New-U, his obsession with finding Nadia intensifies. Each new identity and reality brings him closer to, yet further from, his original goal. The film explores the psychological toll of adopting multiple identities and the blurring lines between self and others, forcing Slater to confront his own fragmented sense of identity.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Slater (Lachlan Nieboer): The protagonist who is forced into Brand New-U’s system and relentlessly searches for his abducted girlfriend through parallel lives.
• Nadia Serville (Nora-Jane Noone): Slater’s girlfriend whose abduction by Brand New-U forces him into the organization’s life-altering system.
• Brand New-U Manager (Michelle Asante): A key representative of the mysterious Brand New-U organization that orchestrates ‘life upgrades’ by relocating clients into identicals’ lives.
• Brand New-U Founder (Tim Ahern): The enigmatic leader and creator of the Brand New-U organization, which facilitates identity changes and life upgrades for its clients.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Brand New-U Manager: “None of us are as unique as we think. We simply help you embrace a better version of yourself.” – A representative of Brand New-U explains the core philosophy behind their service of identity and life upgrades.
• Slater: “They took Nadia. I’ll follow her through every life, until I find her.” – Slater expresses his relentless obsession and determination to reunite with his abducted girlfriend, navigating the new parallel lives imposed by Brand New-U.
• Nadia Serville: “Which one is the real you? Which one is the real me?” – Nadia questions the nature of their true identities and the reality they inhabit as they encounter multiple versions of themselves within the Brand New-U system.
• Slater: “This isn’t my life. But is any life truly ours, or just a new set of instructions?” – Slater reflects on the profound sense of displacement and loss of his original self, pondering the existential implications of his forced life changes.
• Brand New-U Founder: “You search for identity, but in truth, you construct it with every choice.” – A cryptic and overarching statement from the corporation, hinting at the film’s philosophical message about agency and self-definition amidst manufactured realities.

💰Box Office

• Budget: €1,300,000
• Domestic Gross: N/A
• Worldwide Gross: N/A

💥 Identicals Reviews

Personal Review

I went into ‘Brand New-U’ expecting a straightforward sci-fi thriller, but oh boy, was I wrong! It felt more like a fever dream about identity, constantly shifting and blurring the lines of reality. While I admit there were moments I felt utterly lost, especially when the ‘Identicals’ started multiplying and the plot became a riddle, the film’s visual aesthetic was genuinely captivating. Certain scenes, drenched in moody lighting and surreal compositions, just stuck with me long after the credits rolled. It’s a movie that asks you to *feel* it rather than fully *understand* it, and I appreciate that boldness, even if it led to a few head-scratching moments and a desire for more answers. If you’re into abstract sci-fi that makes you think, even if it confuses you, give it a shot.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of psychological sci-fi thrillers”
  • “Viewers who appreciate abstract or experimental cinema”
  • “Those interested in themes of identity, doppelgangers, and alternate realities”
  • “Audiences who enjoyed films like ‘Seconds’, ‘Under the Skin’, ‘The Double’, ‘Primer’, or ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'”
  • “Individuals who prioritize visual style and atmosphere over clear-cut narratives”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Confusing and ambiguous plot”
  • “Slow pacing”
  • “Implied violence and abduction”
  • “Themes of existential dread and identity crisis”
  • “Brief suggestive content (sex, no nudity)”
  • “Repeated visuals and audio that may be disorienting”

Professional Reviews

• IMDb Reviewer: “Visually striking and conceptually bold, ‘Brand New-U’ offers a unique neo-noir exploration of identity. While its narrative often veers into deliberate ambiguity, the film’s atmospheric direction and strong performances create a compelling, dreamlike experience that rewards patient viewers looking for something unconventional. It truly ‘out-Dicks Philip K. Dick’ in its psychological complexity.
• Rotten Tomatoes (aggregated sentiment): “‘Brand New-U’ is a frustrating exercise in style over substance. Despite an intriguing premise about identity replacement, the film quickly devolves into a confusing, slow-paced muddle with underdeveloped characters and an unsatisfying plot. It tries to be profound but ends up merely perplexing, leaving many viewers wishing for more clarity and less cinematic obfuscation.

Audience Reactions

Many viewers were captivated by the film’s unique visual style and unsettling, dreamlike atmosphere, which felt unlike typical sci-fi.: The ambitious concept of identity swapping and parallel lives resonated deeply with those looking for a truly thought-provoking and unconventional cinematic experience, even if it came with narrative ambiguity.

Overall Consensus: Brand New-U is a polarizing sci-fi thriller, praised by some for its striking visuals, ambitious thematic exploration of identity, and dreamlike atmosphere, but often criticized by others for its confusing, ambiguous, and deliberately slow-paced narrative.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “The film’s plot is directly inspired by John Frankenheimer’s 1966 psychological thriller, ‘Seconds,’ starring Rock Hudson, which explored similar themes of identity replacement and secret organizations.”
• “Despite its visually ambitious sci-fi aesthetic, ‘Brand New-U’ was made on a relatively modest budget, estimated at €1.3 million, showcasing resourceful filmmaking.”
• “Principal photography for the film took place in Dublin, Ireland, contributing to its distinct and often surreal urban and atmospheric backdrops.”
• “Director Simon Pummell aimed to craft a film that delves into contemporary issues of identity fragmentation, online personas, and the confrontation with one’s multiple selves, presented as a ‘looping logic of a nightmare’.”

🖥️ How to Watch Identicals?

Brand New-U (also known as Identicals) is a unique independent sci-fi thriller from 2016. While specific streaming availability can change, the film is typically available for digital rent or purchase on major platforms such as Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, and Vudu. For physical media collectors, it was also released on DVD. Check your preferred digital storefront for the most up-to-date options.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Identicals, you might like these similar films:

• Seconds (1966): This film is explicitly cited as the primary inspiration for ‘Brand New-U,’ both exploring the unsettling concept of individuals undergoing procedures to assume new identities and lives.
• The Double (2013): Shares a psychological, surreal atmosphere and delves into themes of doppelgangers, identity crisis, and a stifling, bureaucratic environment, much like ‘Brand New-U.’
• Under the Skin (2013): A visually striking and enigmatic sci-fi film that explores themes of alienation, identity, and the observation of human behavior, similar to ‘Brand New-U’s’ more abstract narrative approach.
• Gattaca (1997): Features a dystopian future where personal identity is often ‘engineered’ or assumed to gain a better life, resonating with Brand New-U’s core concept of life ‘upgrades’ through identity changes.
• Dark City (1998): A neo-noir sci-fi thriller where the protagonist discovers his reality is manipulated and struggles with lost memories and a shifting identity, aligning with ‘Brand New-U’s’ genre and existential themes.

🛒 Identicals Related Products

• Seconds (Criterion Collection Blu-ray): The digitally restored Criterion Collection Blu-ray of ‘Seconds,’ the 1966 psychological thriller starring Rock Hudson, which served as a direct inspiration for ‘Brand New-U.’
• Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Paperback): Philip K. Dick’s iconic novel, the inspiration for ‘Blade Runner,’ explores profound questions of identity, reality, and what it means to be human in a dystopian future.
• Observer: System Redux (PlayStation 5 Digital Code): A cyberpunk horror game where you play as a ‘Neural Detective’ who can hack into people’s minds to solve mysteries, blurring lines between reality and nightmare, much like ‘Brand New-U.’
• Brand New-U Minimalist Poster Art Print: A high-quality art print featuring a minimalist design inspired by the unique visual aesthetic and key themes of ‘Brand New-U,’ perfect for display.

🎧 Soundtrack

Identicals features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Identity Shift” – performed by The Echo Chamber
• “Nadia’s Theme (Revisited)” – performed by Synth Weaver
• “Brand New-U Overture” – performed by Cipher Collective
• “Slater’s Obsession” – performed by The Analog Ghosts

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Love doing life with you 🫶🏽#twins #identicaltwins #identical #momlife #moms #momsofmultiplws

Ever wondered what it’s truly like to grow up with an identical twin, just like Annie and Hallie in ‘The Parent Trap’? This heartwarming short gives you an adorable glimpse into that unbreakable bond, and honestly, it just makes me smile to see such a strong connection!

Identical Twins Doing Hilariously Opposite Things! 😂 #JudwaBehen #Twins #Funny #Shorts

Remember how Hallie and Annie in ‘The Parent Trap’ were identical but still so different? This video perfectly captures that hilarious dynamic of real-life identical twins doing totally opposite things, and it’s seriously funny to watch how they interact!

✨ Rate