Three Identical Strangers Review
PG-13: Some mature thematic materialNEON, CNN Films1 Hr and 37 MinutesDir: Tim WardleI don’t know if it’s that recently these theatrical documentaries are catching my eye or the fact that there are still documentaries that go to theaters and not just straight to Netflix, but I’ve been finding myself watching these movies with the mindset to review while in reality it’s my curiosity in the films’ subject that matter the most. I’m not going to make it a habit to review documentaries, but with a remarkable story like this, I couldn’t just turn a blind eye.
New York, 1980: three complete strangers accidentally discover that they are identical triplets, separated at birth. The 19-year-olds' joyous reunion catapults them to international fame, but it also unlocks an extraordinary and disturbing secret that goes beyond their own lives - and could transform our understanding of human nature forever.THE GOODBefore the Kardashians, there were the triplets Robert, Eddie, and David who inarguably earned their fame due to their remarkable story. “Three Identical Strangers” is a surreal story that focuses on these triplets and the impact their lives would have from their first encounters. From the beginning and how they found each other to the time they would meet their spouses, the film captures every aspect of their story.With a story like this it’s quite surprising how much archival footage and old pictures of the three triplets they use to help the story. I’m not just talking about news and talk show footage, because that’s all easily accessible, but footage of the boys BEFORE they embarked on this incredible discovery. All of the subjects’ parents kept pictures and home videos of their sons growing up and having a childhood. There are some reenactments here and there, but director Tim Wardle gives the audience an abundant amount of footage. Wardle incorporates clever technical tricks during the interviews as well. When Robert recalls his first call with Eddie, they play the audio of the call from Eddie’s responses through Robert’s mouth.
On the surface you would think this film centers on the remarkable story of three boys brought together by fate. While at first it may seem like that, “Three Identical Strangers” becomes an astonishingly surreal story that will blow your mind.Not to give much away of the story, but the hook that engages you is not just Robert, David, and Eddie finding each other, but the adoptive families who are furious about the fact that the adoption agency tried to hide the fact that three identical triplets were born and the rest of the film delves into the meaning of why these triplets were separated in the first place.When Wardle gets to the meat of the narrative and express it’s true colors, the film becomes unexpectedly shocking. As long as you’re not doing the research before you see the movie, it will have your jaw dropped to the ground. This is like a documentary with a Shyamalan twist.Your first reaction will most likely be this:
And then you will immediately follow that with “WAIT,
The narrative turns somewhat into an f-ed up Sci-Fi film but is gratifyingly groundbreaking because all of this story IS NONFICTION. It just becomes mind blowing and so surreal that you can’t believe this is a story that turned out to be this dark, especially when it is a positive-natured story that blossomed out of it.THE RENDYPersonally, the reason I never review documentaries is due to the fact that my low attention span puts me to sleep all the time. Yeah, I usually knock out on ‘em. But so far this year, movies such as “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” and “Three Identical Strangers” are examples of films with incredible stories. Seriously, go see this movie for it is a mind blowing story that switches up it’s tone on you to express a serious matter: separation of families. Today, separation of families comes in every shape and form and is more vile than ever, and this one of those instances.LAST STATEMENT“Three Identical Strangers” is a bizarre, yet incredible, documentary feature that doesn’t only focus on the story of three brothers and their reunion, but the angering situation outside of them that people everywhere need to know.Rating: 4.5/5 | 92%Super Scene:
