Replica

The bar is impossibly high, but Replica might just be the strangest of the Nguyen trilogy. Yes, we’re using the term trilogy, because there is no term for “set of 3 movies with the same basic nonsense plot and characters but slightly different Hitchcock-inspired science fiction premise each time.” All the tropes are here: cars gradually pulling out of a very familiar driveway, office meetings about business deals with large round figures, dates between charmless humans who seem to be learning to speak for the first time. But this time, instead of birds angry about global warming or virtual reality romance snafus, the issue is CLONING. Human organ cloning, whole human cloning, all handled with the scientific accuracy and moral sensitivity we’ve come to expect from this film auteur. And happening on digital “sets” less realistic than a Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper. Complete with performances by some of our favorites in the Nguyen repertoire of actors, like Nathalie’s mom, that one business guy, and footage of Tippi Hedren playing on a TV during a scene!