Movie Review: Three Identical Strangers

Imagine being 19 years of age, arriving at university for the first time and having everyone welcome you like a long lost friend. Imagine finding out there’s not one but two people who look exactly like you. That’s what happened to three lads, Bobby, Eddy and David. But that was just the beginning.

Thanks to Newsday LLC

Three Identical Strangers outlines the true story of triplets separated at birth, but it’s much much more than that. It’s a thriller that will have you questioning the nature/nurture debate and the ethics behind scientific research.

What a delight to watch the three boys find each other and bond from the first meeting. Their story captivated the world and hurled them into the spotlight. Think magazine covers, talk shows and free entry to nightclubs. Girlfriends, wives and children followed. They even started a business together.

Watching their lives unfold gets you pondering the old nature versus nurture debate. With so many similarities on show the hammer seems to be coming down in favour of nature. Is everything predetermined? Is there no such thing as free will? Should we even bother trying to achieve anything other than what is already set out of us in our genes?

And what about parenting styles? Which is best, blue collar or white, loving versus strict disciplinarian, present or absent through work?

Then things take another turn.

The New Yorker’s investigative journalist Lawrence Wright began seeking the truth behind the brothers’ unique situation. Just how unique were they? What he uncovered was astonishing, distressing and sent the pendulum right back to the midpoint of nature v nurture. But more than that it raised questions about how far should society go in the quest to understand human kind?

As the audience sat spellbound then strangers started debating the issue with each other I pondered:

The movie is a fascinating exploration into family, nature, nurture, mental health and the ethics of how far we’ll go to understand ourselves;
Initially their story reminded me of the Truman Show;
Roll on 2066 when more of this story comes to light;
It also had me trying to remember the research methodologies we employed during my years studying psychology. I remember hearing about longitudinal studies and twin studies.

Winner: Special jury prize Sundance Film Festival. Winner: Audience Award Chicago Film Critics. Winner: Documentary Jury Award & Audience Award Berkshire Int’l Film Festival.