The Identical (2014)

[RyanSz 3140]

This hasn't even come out yet but I can tell it would be perfect for the show. Preacher's son wants to be rock singer but soon finds out he bears a striking resemblance to an already established star who is meant to come off as Elvis. The wigs alone shown in the trailer are insane and the fact that the first billed person is Seth Green who appears to be the third or fourth most important character while the main actor is billed below five other people including Joey Pants who plays a grease monkey, makes this a must do for the show.

 

[Quasar Sniffer 4174]

It looks like they're implying that the guy is Elvis' twin brother... you know, the one who died at birth in real life. What a madcap adventure!

 

Also, how much schlock has Ray Liotta appeared in? He's great and has been in some great films, but oh man, he has some sadness in his filmography. Then again, he was in an episode of NTSF:SD:SUV so he is also a spectacular human.

[PlanBFromOuterSpace 3138]

We got booked with this this week, and I had no idea what the hell it was, but from what I gathered on the Fandango description, they're brothers, and one's the rock star while the other's stuck dealing with dad or something. I haven't seen a frame of the film, but it sounds like they took "Walk the Line" and split Johnny Cash into two characters or something, though I'm sure it'll be more like an unironic "Walk Hard". THE WRONG KID DIED!

[RyanSz 3140]

I saw the standup in my local theater but had no idea who the main actor was because his name wasn't on the fucking thing and I knew it wasn't top billed Seth Green. Yeah it appears they heavily implying Elvis but mixing in bits from other famous rock stories so I think you're right on with unironic Walk Hard.

[Joe Lerini 7329]

The people of Uproxx apparently agree with you:

 

http://uproxx.com/filmdrunk/2014/09/royalty-free-christian-elvis-biopic-the-identical-is-the-ultimate-how-did-this-get-made-movie/

[Lando 2019]

Damn PlanB, you are in tune with Rotten Tomatoes. At 4% they sum it up as:

 

With nearly every element ringing as hollow as the ersatz Elvis at the story's core, The Identical looks destined for a bright future on the ironic viewing circuit.

[RyanSz 3140]

The people of Uproxx apparently agree with you:

 

http://uproxx.com/fi...get-made-movie/

Holy shit now this movie has to be done. Also they should do a double live show of it with I'm in Love With a Church Girl starring Ja Rule with executive producer God, seriously.

[justinmh05 1968]

We live in a world where Seth Green gets top billing in a movie. Sigh...

[RyanSz 3140]

We live in a world where Seth Green gets top billing in a movie. Sigh...

I have no problem with Green getting top billing since he is a competent actor, but I just wish it was in a movie that I don't know, where he was the actual main actor in the movie. What I find funny about this after reading that article is that this movie is basically a semi-biographical story of the actor playing the main character, Blake Rayne, and how he became a singer for this promotion, yet even then he still can't be the top billed actor in what is essentially his own story.

[PlanBFromOuterSpace 3138]

We live in a world where Seth Green gets top billing in a movie. Sigh...

And that movie ISN'T "Howard the Duck".

[PlanBFromOuterSpace 3138]

Damn PlanB, you are in tune with Rotten Tomatoes. At 4% they sum it up as:

Oh wow, I hadn't even looked at RT or seen a trailer. I've just seen too many musical biopics and fuckin' LOVE "Walk Hard" (the review that someone posted here incorrectly said "Rock Hard", the bastards...), so I didn't know that that was pretty much the general consensus. Looking at Box Office Mojo today, it looked like this thing died a death.

[RyanSz 3140]

Almost all of these nu-Christian movies do the same thing box office-wise. Movies like Heaven is For Real does okay because it was released around Easter while God Is Not Dead does is a rare anomaly that catches on by word of mouth through the church and is in theaters for a long run for an independent movie (4 months) so that it can get a boost in ticket sales around Easter. What's funny is that the distributor for this film and God Is Not Dead is also the distributor for such classics as I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell, Kickin' It Old Skool, Postal, and Delgo, along with critically enjoyed movies like the Illusionist and Green Street Hooligans.

[PlanBFromOuterSpace 3138]

Almost all of these nu-Christian movies do the same thing box office-wise. Movies like Heaven is For Real does okay because it was released around Easter while God Is Not Dead does is a rare anomaly that catches on by word of mouth through the church and is in theaters for a long run for an independent movie (4 months) so that it can get a boost in ticket sales around Easter. What's funny is that the distributor for this film and God Is Not Dead is also the distributor for such classics as I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell, Kickin' It Old Skool, Postal, and Delgo, along with critically enjoyed movies like the Illusionist and Green Street Hooligans.

What I think, that I haven't really seen mentioned anywhere, was that while they were hitting on that Easter period, I think they were ALSO trying to cash in on the timing of "Noah", the big budget Biblical epic that was supposed to be a bigger deal than it was. It did OK, but "Heaven is for Real" made CRAZY money for what it was, almost 100 million, and "God's Not Dead" made pretty disgusting money too (60-ish million?). I think their success overshadowed the performance of the film that they were hoping to capitalize on, that it was no accident that they both hit when they did.

[RyanSz 3140]

Yeah looking at Box Office Mojo both of those made an amount of money that they shouldn't have otherwise (91 and 60 million, respectively). It's similar to how Tyler Perry always releases movies during or around Black History Month and they make a huge profit even though they are udder dreck (Temptation).

[jarrycanada 2483]

Ray Liotta and Seth Green yes!!!

[NigelDungan 9]

It sounds hilarious, here is a funny review of it.

 

[katexmachina 23]

This movie was made for $16M and has made $2.7M so far. The below text and survey is from the actual film's website:

 

YOU DECIDE!

Mainstream film critics did not care for THE IDENTICAL, while Christian reviewers and audiences loved the movie. We are putting the first fifteen minutes online to let you decide for yourself. Tell us what you think of the movie, then, if you agree with those who have already seen it, go see it this weekend in theaters!

 

Who will you side with...

AUDIENCES or FILM CRITICS?

• I agree with AUDIENCES, I loved it!
  
• I agree with FILM CRITICS, not for me.
  

• Check this box if you will support this Christian film by going to theaters this weekend!
  

[katexmachina 23]

From the lead actor's IMDb page:

 

Trivia (5)

 

Blake was a website designer prior to becoming an Elvis entertainer.

In 1998, he won an Elvis impersonator competition in Columbus, Ohio, after only one week of preparation.

His life as an Elvis entertainer paralleled that of the character he played in the film 'The Identical'.

Ryan came up with the stage name Blake Rayne which he chose in part because of his love for Batman - it is close to Bruce Wayne.

In one scene of the film "The Identical", he broke down crying in a great show of emotion and his fake mustache popped off.

Personal Quotes (1)

 

[The acting experience] is just like opening a secret closet that you never knew existed.

[PlanBFromOuterSpace 3138]

I know there's another thread for this one somewhere...

[RyanSz 3140]

This movie was made for $16M and has made $2.7M so far. The below text and survey is from the actual film's website:

 

YOU DECIDE!

Mainstream film critics did not care for THE IDENTICAL, while Christian reviewers and audiences loved the movie. We are putting the first fifteen minutes online to let you decide for yourself. Tell us what you think of the movie, then, if you agree with those who have already seen it, go see it this weekend in theaters!

 

Who will you side with...

AUDIENCES or FILM CRITICS?

• I agree with AUDIENCES, I loved it!
  
• I agree with FILM CRITICS, not for me.
  

• Check this box if you will support this Christian film by going to theaters this weekend!
  

 

That seems to be the case with all of these recent Christian based movies. Critics loathe the movies outside of those that work for faith-based outlets, and the same goes for the audience where those that are deep in the faith love the movie while anyone else either hates it or are indifferent to it.

[Spinoza 3]

"Twin brothers are unknowingly separated at birth; one of them becomes an iconic rock 'n' roll star, while the other struggles to balance his love for music and pleasing his father."

 

IMDB: 4.8. Rotten Tomatoes: 7%

 

Starring Ray Liotta, Ashley Judd, Seth Green, and Blake Rayne playing both twins because of course. Apparently it's really heavyhandedly Christian, and bizarrely enough while it clearly is about Elvis, it's officially not, Elvis even exists in the film universe! This seems like A Winter's Tale level of crazy and fail.

 

trailer:

 

whole film (not for long I guess):

[Spinoza 3]

I should have searched the title, and want to agree with the recommendation of this really strange film.

[Greatbob Umber 73]

This is the sort of bad that requires people with some talent and good intentions can make. Ray Liotta? Check. Ashley Judd? Check. Joey Pants? Seth Green? All here.

 

It's a very obvious homage to Elvis and based on the hypothetical that Elvis's brother had lived. And was adopted out to a different, religious family. And if both Elvis and Elvis's brother were played by the same Elvis impersonator. With the acting ability of your average Elvis impersonator. It's easily predictable, cliched, and frankly - weird.

 

It's really, really bad.

 

Essentially, I am just begging HDTGM to do this film so that I can retroactively justify the time I spent watching it.

[PlanBFromOuterSpace 3138]

From the lead actor's IMDb page:

 

Blake was a website designer prior to becoming an Elvis entertainer.

I'd like to hear the conversation that he had with himself that led to THAT career change.

[Jillybean 104]

Bumping this one because it is "next level bonkers."