It’s been 25 years since Eddie Murphy played his own lookalike in the underrated “Bowfinger,” a Steve Martin-led comedy revolving around a struggling director who, to produce a film unwittingly starring a major celebrity, casts an everyman who just so happens to bear more than a passing resemblance to the man at the top of the marquee. The concept of doppelgangers in cinema could hardly be considered new, with fresh takes on the idea few and far between. When this genre meets Hollywood as its setting, finding that unique spin somehow becomes even more tricky; fortunately, this is where “Serious People” steps in.
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Pasqual (Pasqual Gutierrez) and Raul (Raul Sanchez) have worked their way through the trenches as directors specializing in the field of music video, with Pasqual juggling the stress of his business with the imminent arrival of his first child, one he shares with partner Christine (Christine Yuan). With the baby’s due date slated not long from then, the timing couldn’t be any more inconvenient when none other than Drake commissions the duo for a video shoot, one set to take place at the same time as the birth. As Pasqual endures a bout of shingles due to his strain, an idea materializes as he recognizes his need, or perhaps wish, to be in two places at once to tend to Christine and capture Drake on video. 
It’s here that opening scenes showing what could be dismissed as any run-of-the-mill audition are revealed to have been part of Pasqual’s plan, as he believes the best way to handle his dilemma is to hire someone who looks just like him; this way, his clone can pose as director, while Pasqual can remain by Christine’s side as much as he can—following the selection of Miguel (Miguel Huerta), an ambitious young man who does indeed resemble Pasqual at a glance, Pasqual proceeds with a surface-level crash course of what goes into commandeering a music video set, with the two spendings a wealth of time together. Miguel soon moved into a role akin to an assistant, helping Christine assemble a crib when Pasqual was stuck scouting locations and quickly finding an incessant place by Pasqual’s side, much to Raul’s ire. 
Unfortunately, finding your twin in no way guarantees that your personalities will align. As Miguel’s confidence soars in his new role, his outlandish opinions of the video’s direction begin to spin wildly out of control, taking up residence under Raul’s skin before long and culminating in a predictable, explosive way at the height of the film’s third act. As tense as it may seem, it’s hard not to laugh.
Early scenes emphasize Pasqual’s internal struggle. A conversation with his father highlights the desire to pursue one’s dreams while stressing the importance of tending to family needs. At the same time, Christine remains a presence throughout as she urges Pasqual to perform tasks ranging from cleaning out his office in favor of nursery space and finding time to repair their faulty washing machine, eventually questioning his motivation as it becomes clear his experiment has seen him failing to be as present as Pasqual had initially hoped, both physically as much as figuratively. Her frustration isn’t just palpable, it’s crystal clear, but when the focus shifts back to every scene Miguel and Raul share, hearing Miguel relentlessly describe what he wants in a video and the presumed headache Raul must be experiencing at any given moment dial up the humor in a tremendous way. 
A game could be made out of the number of times Miguel declares how “cinematic” the video will turn out, how it might compare to a Marvel Studios production, and several hysterical moments where he requests both IMAX cameras and another latte, even as he’s holding one at the moment. Furthermore, if his handling of a nearby boom mic doesn’t at least produce a chuckle, please watch these scenes again.
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It’s low-key at best, a small-scale comedy with a breezy flow and the directing team of Gutierrez and Mullinkosson leading the charge, with Gutierrez portraying Pasqual effortlessly. The same can be said for his three co-leads, who command each scene and possess dynamic rapport with whomever their onscreen partner of the moment may be. When Miguel arrives for crib assembly, a benevolence seems present from our hero, even continuing to remain beneath the surface throughout; his actions may be misguided, but taking it day by day remains his MO. Does he have dreams of his own? All that matters, it seems, is simply having a good time.
It’s over before one might realize, and if there exists an immediate desire to see what Gutierrez and Mullinkosson have next in store as credits roll, you’re not alone. It may be straightforward in execution, but the care dedicated to bringing “Serious People” to life is just as evident. Even though another viewing won’t carry the spoiler of where Miguel might be headed next, we’ll cling to the hope that, for everyone involved in his mess, it will all work out just fine. [A]
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