In Wes B Clark’s film Mirror, estranged twin sisters Kara and Zara (both played by Alice Reys) awkwardly reenter each other’s lives after a death in the family brings them together. The unplanned reunion digs up old memories and the trauma that goes with them. The first cause of friction between them is that Zara left the family to escape their difficult mother, Tara (Lexi Calderon). Kara stayed and looked after their mother on her own. She is bitter and angry that she had no support from Zara.
The timing of Zara’s reappearance is bad for Kara, because she’s drifting away from her boyfriend, Nick (Kevin Renalto). Zara hatches a plan to reignite the fire with him, based on the fact that they look like identical twins. Zara believes she has Kara’s blessing based on a casual conversation they have, but there is a misunderstanding about whether Kara was serious or not.
The drama is centered on the love triangle, with the twist being that Nick does not know Kara has a twin sister. He becomes an unwitting pawn in a tangled web of deception between the two sisters.
“… twin sisters awkwardly reenter each other’s lives after a family tragedy …”
The central showcase of the film is a virtuoso performance by Alice Reys playing both sisters. Reys is filmed with minimal digital magic, using over-the-shoulder shots and clever editing to sell the illusion. This works seamlessly. Atalia Lyrical cast as younger versions of Kara/Zara is equally impressive.
Other technical aspects of the production are adequate, though there are some issues with the sound quality of the dialogue with the volume dropping out in some spots and too loud in others. Mirror is presented in a classic soap opera style, with Clark delivering an impressive film with a small budget. The denouement comes with several interesting and unusual turns that keep the film lively and engaging.
"…unusual turns that keep it lively and engaging"
