The Movie THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS tell the shocking story of three brothers that were born as triplets and separated at birth. In a documentary style it is told how the life of the triplets and unfolds after they reunite as young adults by coincidence and the spellbinding and ethically challenging surprises they are about to find out about their circumstances.
Statistical Data about triplets
A 2010 study by Tandberg et al. published in BJOG from the Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen found that there are trends showing since assistive reproductive technologies have an influence on pregnancies. The total triplet incidence rate increased over 40 years. In Norway it has more than doubled. The risk of perinatal death is ten times higher (10x) relative to singletons and has not changed during the period.
The course of the film mainly illustrates the life and destiny of the three men in their personal experience and with retrospectives told by some of their relatives and friends. However, the film also introduces bigger topics of scientific, moral and societal importance. Namely parenting /adoption and the thirst for scientific evidence and progress with regard to heredity of intelligence, character, personality and mental illness.
Was the movie good?
YES. ABSOLUTELY. The story is told throughout in an emotionally captivating manner and leads the viewer through puzzle piece by puzzle piece. The information is prepared and fed to the audience in a way
What was good?
Apart from the impressive and touching storytelling the movie touches on one of the fundamental riddles of life, biology and psychology. The question of nature versus nurture with regard to the development and expression of who we become throughout a lifetime. Are we becoming us due to our genes or do we develop due to our upbringing, parenting and environment?
What was missing?
The narrative pointed at the bigger questions and possible answers without revealing more of that truly fascinating topic. And rightly so. Here the story ends without the full picture of what was actually going on, only guesswork would have been done. Also, the film did well staying aloof of diving deeper into controversial scientific research and thereby turning academic in itself.
Should you watch it?
The movie does cater for several audiences with different interests.
You will benefit from watching it:
1. If you want to be pulled into the dramatic unfolding of the triplets as they were headlining the front pages of their time
2. If you want to engage your mind with ethical and psycho-biological topics and take this film as an opportunity to open up discourses around nature vs. nurture and parenting vs. individual development