Multiplicity MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +3 Content: -1

In this wild comedy, Michael Keaton plays Doug Kinney, a loving father who can't find the time for both his demanding job and his family. A sympathetic scientist offers an unusual solution cloning. A duplicate Doug is created for work, while the original Doug focuses on family matters. But two still can't manage everything, so Doug picks up a second clone to handle the overflow. The copies think they need help and a third clone is made, although he's not too bright. When Doug decides to get away for a while and leaves the clones in charge of his life, some comical disasters ensue. Doug's wife (Andie McDowell) thinks he's come unglued, and problems crop up at work when one clone has to stand in for another. Doug returns to discover that he's lost his job and his marriage is in jeopardy. Keaton does a fine job portraying four versions of the same person, as each clone has a defining personality. Multiplicity has plenty of laughs, especially when one Doug doesn't know what the others are doing. That makes the humor a bit repetitious, however, as most funny situations revolve around having the wrong Doug in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The dedication of this father and his desire to spend more quality time with his family is commendable, although he goes to outrageous lengths to achieve his goal. The presence of three carbon copies creates some confusion in the bedroom for Doug's wife. Wanting to get intimate with Doug, she makes sexual advances towards her husband, not realizing that she's with a clone. Although it's not shown, it's clear that she has sex with all three clones during one romantic evening. One scene is lengthy and sensual. The first duplicate Doug also has a very healthy libido, dancing sensually with a woman and expressing his need for sexual satisfaction. The dialogue contains some unfortunate slips, with many instances of crude language, several obscenities and several profanities. These elements and the sexual content means that although MULTIPLICITY is at times very humorous, it falls short on the acceptability scale.

Preview Reviewer: Mark Perry
Distributor: Columbia Pictures, 10202 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232