They say that there are seven people in the world just like you. Now imagine a world where you can upgrade your life to that of one of those people – take over the life of someone who looks like you, walks like you, talks like you, but is living a different, better, but separate life to yours. You bring with you nothing of your past, no “wants”, only your “needs”. That’s the premise of ‘Identicals’, out on DVD and VOD on August 15.
Slater, played by Lachlan Nieboer, appears to have the ideal life. He’s got a great job, and a gorgeous girlfriend, Nadia, who is played by Nora-Jayne Noone. Everything is perfect, until the night of his birthday, Slater’s entire life is turned upside down, and Nadia is taken away from him in tragic circumstances.
Slater realises not all is as it seems. Nadia is an Identical. She’s signed up with the company, ‘Brand New U’, whose premise is, “Get a brand new life, and feel different, feel better. Take control of your life”. Slater signs up as well, and discovers that actually, it’s not him who is in control of his life. In fact, he gets very little say at all in is considered his “needs”; the company has clearly decided that Nadia is merely a “want”, whereas it soon becomes clear that she is very definitely a “need”.
‘Identicals’ is very visually satisfying. Crisp, cool colours, the film is compelling and stirring, to an extent, very disturbing. There’s a lot of concepts brought up by the film. Are we living the lives we should be? Could we actually up and change our lives? On the surface, it’s easy to believe that it’s possible: but what of the people whose lives we displace in order to “upgrade”.
We’re pleased to announce we have two copies of this film to give away on DVD, courtesy of AR Publicity. Simply email us on essentiallypop1@gmail.com and tell us what your ideal life would entail. The competition ends midnight 15 August, with winners being announced shortly afterwards.
