The Canadian Encyclopedia — neutral, cited, updated
July 26, 2026Sources cited
Canadianwire.
Canada’s encyclopedia & explainer
Home›Entertainment›Film›Enemy
Entertainment • Film

Enemy

Enemy is a 2013 psychological thriller film directed by Denis Villeneuve and loosely adapted from José Saramago's 2002 novel The Double.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Enemy is a 2013 psychological thriller film directed by Denis Villeneuve and loosely adapted from José Saramago's 2002 novel The Double. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal in dual roles, alongside Mélanie Laurent, Sarah Gadon, and Isabella Rossellini. It is an international co-production involving Canada, Spain, and France.

Premise

The film follows a man who discovers an actor who looks exactly like him and becomes drawn into the other man's life. It explores identity, duplicity, and psychological unease.

Production

Enemy was directed by Denis Villeneuve and produced by M. A. Faura and Niv Fichman. It was made as an international co-production across Canada, Spain, and France.

Source material

The screenplay by Javier Gullón is loosely based on José Saramago's 2002 novel The Double. The adaptation is not a direct retelling but a free interpretation of the book's central idea.

Cast

Jake Gyllenhaal plays the film's dual lead roles. The supporting cast includes Mélanie Laurent, Sarah Gadon, and Isabella Rossellini.

Key facts

  • Enemy is a psychological thriller released in 2013.
  • It was directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Javier Gullón.
  • The film is loosely adapted from José Saramago's novel The Double (2002).
  • Jake Gyllenhaal plays two physically identical men with different personalities.
  • The film is an international co-production involving Canada, Spain, and France.
🍁
Canadian context

Enemy has a clear Canadian connection: it is a Canadian-Spanish-French co-production, and Canadian sources describe it as a Canadian or Canado-Hispanic-French film.

Frequently asked questions

What is Enemy?
Enemy is a 2013 psychological thriller film directed by Denis Villeneuve and loosely based on José Saramago's novel The Double.
Who stars in Enemy?
Jake Gyllenhaal stars in dual roles, with Mélanie Laurent, Sarah Gadon, and Isabella Rossellini in supporting roles.
What is Enemy based on?
It is loosely adapted from José Saramago's 2002 novel The Double.
Who directed Enemy?
Denis Villeneuve directed the film.
What genre is Enemy?
It is generally described as a psychological thriller or mystery thriller.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enemy_(2013_film)
    Supports: Director, year, genre, source novel, cast, and international co-production details.
  2. Wikipedia — https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enemy_(film,_2013)
    Supports: French-language confirmation of the film's Canadian-Spanish-French production and release details.
  3. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2316411/
    Supports: Genre, runtime, release date, director, writers, and cast.
  4. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/enemy_2013
    Supports: Director, producers, screenwriter, runtime, genre, synopsis, and cast.
  5. Wikipedia — https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enemy_(pel%C3%ADcula_de_2013)
    Supports: Spanish-language confirmation of the film's identity, cast, and awards.