Evil doppelgänger trope done well? An Analysis of Jordan Peele’s Us

When many of us think of the word ‘doppelgänger’ oftentimes the idea of an evil twin seems to be the first thing that comes to mind. This societal definition is perpetuated by the media. It seems that in any movie or television show that incorporates doppelgängers or doubles, we see it play out as a good vs bad scenario. This can eventually seem like an overdone or cliche trope in entertainment. 

One recent film that I think hits the nail on the head when creating a doppelgänger-centered storyline is Us (2019). We see the progression of the main character Adelaide’s concern grow as she gets the overwhelming feeling that something bad is going to happen to her and her family. 

As this story progresses we meet her evil doppelgänger and evil doppelgänger family. Through a series of them trying to escape the crazed family and many other catastrophic events, we, in the end that the doppelgänger of Adelaide is a version of herself that was trapped away in childhood and that Adelaide is the ‘villain’ in this film. 

Many people have different interpretations of the ending of this film, such as the possibility that all along Adelaide was both the protagonist and antagonist of the film. Whether that’s true or not, one thing is certain: Jordan Peele’s Us gave the played-out ‘malicious double’ trope a fresh new meaning and proved to be anything but cliche.