Another Me (2013): A Psychological Doppelgänger Thriller
Directed by Isabel Coixet and adapted from Catherine MacPhail’s novel, Another Me is a psychological mystery-thriller starring Sophie Turner in her first film role. The story centers on Fay Delussey, a teenage girl whose seemingly ordinary life begins to unravel as she suspects she is being stalked by a supernatural double.
The film opens with Fay coping with her father Don’s deteriorating health after he is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Meanwhile, she’s cast as Lady Macbeth in the school play, a role that demands intense emotional performance. But as rehearsals begin, Fay starts to feel disoriented, forgetting lines and sensing that someone is impersonating her. Her classmates and even her family begin claiming they’ve seen her in places she hasn’t been.
Fay becomes increasingly paranoid when she notices someone with her same hair, clothes, and gestures—someone who seems determined to erase her from her own life. She changes her appearance and even injures herself to prove her identity, hoping to distinguish herself from the copy. But nothing stops the eerie presence from returning.
As her emotional state worsens, her mother reveals a long-buried secret: Fay once had a twin sister, Layla, who died before birth. This revelation shakes Fay to the core, causing her to believe that Layla may be haunting her or trying to take over her life. Her suspicion extends to those around her, including her teacher and her own mother, who appears to grow increasingly distant and secretive.
Eventually, Fay confronts what she believes is the ghost of her sister in a haunting underground tunnel. Layla warns her to “look into her face,” a chilling phrase repeated throughout the movie. Soon after, Fay’s father dies in an elevator accident, and Fay begins to feel completely unmoored from her identity.
On the night of the school play, Fay looks in the mirror and realizes that she is no longer herself—she is Layla. The real Fay is now the reflection, trapped on the other side of the glass. In the final scene, Layla steps confidently into the spotlight, having taken her sister’s place in the world, leaving the original Fay behind in the mirror.
Critically, Another Me received mixed to negative reviews. While its premise had potential, the film was often criticized for slow pacing, underdeveloped characters, and a lack of real tension. The use of the “evil twin” or doppelgänger trope was seen as unoriginal, and many felt that the psychological themes could have been explored more deeply. However, some praised the film’s moody atmosphere, visual style, and the performance of Sophie Turner, especially considering it was her first major film role.
In conclusion, Another Me attempts to blend teenage angst, identity crisis, and supernatural horror into a haunting drama. While the execution may not live up to its intriguing concept, it offers moments of suspense and emotional weight that might appeal to fans of slow-burning psychological thrillers. For those interested in stories about fractured identities and lost selves, this film offers a unique—if imperfect—take.
