This lesser-known sci-fi dark comedy was a hit with critics, and is no…

Mysterious, chilling science-fiction stories are everywhere now, with shows like Silo, Fallout, and Widow’s Bay grounding fantastical stories with compelling characters and relatable human experiences. For all the monsters and mystery that abounds in these stories, it’s the heroes and villains that make these stories jump off the screen. And sometimes it’s not easy to know who to root for.

Fans of those titles, and anyone who enjoyed Severance will want to check out a 2013 genre-bending movie that’s now available to stream for free on Tubi. Blending dark humor, mystery, and a lot of paranoia, you will want to check out The Double.

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The Double is a dark, sci-fi satire

The film is adapted from a Russian classic

Screen from The Double starring Jesse Eisenberg and Mia Wasikowska.

The Double is based on a novel by Russian literary master Fyodor Dostoevsky of the same name published in 1849. The film is direfted by British writer, actor, and comedian Richard Ayoade, only one of two features he’s helmed. In the movie, Jesse Eisenberg plays Simon James, a meek worker who spends his days working mindlessly in a drab office that makes the workplace in Severance look like stunning. Everything is dark and cold and unsettling.

Simon’s lifework is dull, and his life is sad; he has a crush on a coworker, Hannah, played by Mia Wasikowska, who also happens to live in the same apartment complex as him. Simon’s existence doesn’t seem particularly fun, but everything gets weirder and worse after he witnesses a death outside his home. The next day, a new coworker arrives. His name is James Simon, and he looks exactly like him. But no one else seems to make the visual connection.

You may see where this is going. Simon tries to navigate this new doppelgänger in his life while holding on to what little is left of his sanity, made all the worse because James is more charming and likable than Simon.

Why The Double is worth watching

Weird, uncomfortable, and hilarious

Still from the movie The Double (2013) starring Jesse Eisenberg.

Released in 2013, you may have missed The Double on the first go around. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2013 before being released in many theaters in the United Kingdom, where it was made, the following spring. But it only had a limited theatrical release in the U.S., making it easy to have missed your radar. It also probably didn’t help that an American movie called The Double was released a few years prior, adding to the confusion.

Most film critics praised the movie, and those viewers who caught it responded favorably, which is why it has an 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s centered on two great performances (or maybe it’s three?) by Eisenberg and Wasikowska, and the set design and overall unnerving tone make it an engaging watch.

It also feels quite timely, looking at how people are desperate to stand out and find some joy in a world that can be dark and oppressing. But yes, it’s also funny! At only 90 minutes in length, it’s also an accessible watch that goes by quickly. Be warned, it will stay with you for a long time.

How to stream The Double for free

No subscription fee required

The Double is available to stream on Tubi from July 24, 2026. Now, Tubi isn’t my favorite streaming platform, but there is some value when you’re looking for a specific movie in a certain style. A 90-minute British sci-fi paranoid comedy is one of those films. It doesn’t have a lot of special effects, and it doesn’t need to be enjoyed at 4K resolution or a high refresh rate or Dolby Vision.

The film triumphs because of its direction, acting, and story, which will be plenty engaging whether you watch it.