The Double

The Double has quietly become one of the more dependable crime dramas currently available in Australia on Amazon Prime Video and Stan, and in the US on Philo and Hoopla. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. With 722 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Richard Gere sets the tone, and the ensemble matches it scene for scene. Start it on Amazon Prime Video whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

The Double arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The Double treats its mystery as a means, not an end in itself. The mysterious murder of a US senator bearing the distinctive trademark of the legendary Soviet assassin 'Cassius', forces retired CIA operative, Paul Shepherson to team with rookie FBI agent, Ben Geary to solve the crime. Having spent his career chasing Cassius, Shepherdson is convinced his nemesis is long dead, but is pushed to take on the case by his former supervisor, Tom Highland. Geary, who wrote his Master's thesis on Shepherdson's pursuit of the Soviet killer, is certain that Cassius has resurfaced. Richard Gere and Topher Grace lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2011. The plot mechanics of The Double never overwhelm the human cost underneath them. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Crime and mystery fans will find exactly what they are after in The Double. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Watch Richard Gere work — it is a masterclass in the genre. Few crime dramas earn their twists this consistently.