The Devil's Double

Dominic Cooper takes on a dual role as Uday Hussein and his double Latif Yahia.

Latif protests of course, knowing Uday's reputation and facing the loss of liberty and detachment from his family. Many veiled and direct threats are made against his family and Uday thinks perks such as sharing in his women, wealth and power, can convince Latif to take the job. Ultimately Latif really has no choice. Uday cautions Latif to just not go after the same women he wants. Currently this is Sarrab (Ludivigne Sagnier) who is resigned to a life of sex and partying with Uday, but with few rights or independence.

The film shows Latif
being trained in Uday's mannerisms, being given plastic surgery to refine his looks to match Uday, and eventually appearing before Saddam himself (Phillip Quast) for approval. Throughout you can see Latif's distaste for all this.

The men are wholly different. Uday is a psychopath, sadist, drug addict, child abuser, a petty tyrant, so many bad things. Latif, as portrayed in the film, has a much better moral center, often standing up to Uday when he makes empty threats to Latif and others. Latif often tells Uday he will not kill or hurt people on his behalf and the film shows Uday backing down several times.

Eventually Latif softens to Sarrab, who shows her desire for him. Later she coerces him to help her escape this life, but is she sincere or a desperate opportunist? Latif knows how dangerous this is but is tempted, and looks for a way out for himself as well, although he knows the risks and also the eventual punishment.

Dominic Cooper does an admirable job in the two roles as well as the third role of Latif impersonating Uday. Uday seems so very much a caricature though, I wonder how true this portrayal is, although I'm sure his exploits are pretty true to the truth. I think Cooper portrays Uday just under the top enough so it is believable that a man can do all these things if he is allowed to, and he is definitely allowed to.

The portrayal of Latif is as a more normal man but still showing his honor despite being compromised and tempted, so a much more human/humane person. At first Latif refuses to help get rid of Uday, but the longer he stays in the job the harder he finds keeping that position. I think the film does a good job showing this to us.