Movie Review: 'Three Identical Strangers'

People seeing the trailer or having heard about Three Identical Strangers know that the story is about three identical triplets, separated at birth, who find each other 19 years later. They have been living within a 100 mile radius of one another. Throughout the film there are clues that reveal what their real story is and what the film is actually about. The first of these clues is mentioned in the preview (trailer). A woman being interviewed gazes pensively to one side then back to the camera and says, “That’s when things kinda got funky.” One of the brothers also on film says angrily, “It’s unconscionable!” as he looks toward the camera.

The story opens with the first day of school for a college freshman. He is warmly greeted by students as he makes his way to his dorm room - people he has never seen before. One fellow student realizes something is up when he sees him - he is an identical twin of someone he knew from the previous school year. They immediately contact the second twin and set out by car to meet him. Later the twins discover that there is a third baby, they are actually identical triplets!

Through family photos, home movies and archival filmed footage, the lives of these three young men are shown as they celebrate their discovery/reunion and romp through the exciting times of New York in the 80s. These “handsome rock-stars” enjoy the life of celebrities, appearing on TV, in newspapers and magazines, and being recognized wherever they go. The three adoptive families meet and over time, issues about the adoption slowly begin to surface. The boys and their six adopted parents raise questions that need answers.

One father of these adoptive families is a physician, another a teacher and the third a store owner – all financially responsible and caring parents. As the families become better acquainted, more questions about the initial adoption process arise. The best source for answers is the Jewish children adoption agency, the one that arranged for the placement of the three babies. A meeting is arranged for the six parents, three sons and the agency board of directors. A fruitless endeavor as the families leave the meeting more confused than ever, and with their main question still unanswered, “Why weren’t we notified that our child was a triplet?”

Now as adult men, the boys begin their own investigations as to what took place at the time of their birth. They conduct more interviews, collect more information, and also discover additional clues, all which inspire and renew their dedication to the project. Should anything more be added to this review, it might spoil the film for an interested movie-goer. Besides I have already listed several clues as to the true nature of the story and given a very important one of my own. It is now a matter of fitting the puzzle clue/pieces of the story together or simply seeing the film.

Directed by Tim Wardle (Credits: One Killer Punch, Lifers) this is a “should see” film that runs 93 Minutes

johan@beachcomber.news