''Double Play'' is a 2017

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by

Ernest Dickerson Ernest Roscoe Dickerson (born June 25, 1951) is an American director, cinematographer, and screenwriter of film, television, and music videos. As a cinematographer, he is known for his frequent collaborations with Spike Lee ever since they were c ...

. It is based on Curaçaoan author

Frank Martinus Arion Frank Martinus Arion (born Frank Efraim Martinus; 17 December 1936 – 28 September 2015) was a Curaçaoan poet, novelist, and language advocate. He moved to the Netherlands in 1955 and in 1981 returned to Curaçao, where he became head of the ...

's internationally acclaimed Dutch-language novel ''Dubbelspel''. The title ''Double Play'' refers to a move in dominoes where a player can play a final domino on either end of the snake, earning that team double points.

Plot

Ostrik, now a grown man working as a doctor in

the Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

, returns to his childhood home on the island of

Curaçao Curaçao ( ; ; pap, Kòrsou, ), officially the Country of Curaçao ( nl, Land Curaçao; pap, Pais Kòrsou), is a Lesser Antilles island country in the southern Caribbean Sea and the Dutch Caribbean region, about north of the Venezuela coast ...

and recalls his experiences with his family and neighbors there during a time of colonial unrest in the 1970s. Each Sunday his father Bubu would play dominoes with his friends while discussing a variety of issues as Ostrik would observe. After chasing bus drivers away from an important location for taxi cabs, Bubu becomes the likely choice for president of a newly formed taxi cab union. That Sunday the union meeting for the election is scheduled to be held at his house but the drivers witness Bubu experiencing a day-long losing streak at dominoes and they begin to lose confidence in him until he gives a rousing speech about revolution. Before he has the opportunity to become president, he gets into a fight with the man his wife is sleeping with and loses his life. Ostrik returns years later to confront his father's killer over a game of dominoes.

Cast

Lennie James Lennie Michael James (born 11 October 1965) is a British actor, screenwriter, and playwright. His work includes playing Morgan Jones in the television series, '' The Walking Dead'' and in its spin-off, '' Fear the Walking Dead'', and starring ...

as Chamon *

Melanie Liburd Melanie Liburd is a British actress known for her roles in ''This Is Us'' and '' Power Book II: Ghost.'' In 2016, Liburd appeared as the red priestess in " No One", an episode of the sixth season of the HBO series ''Game of Thrones''. She was ...

as Solema *

La La Anthony Alani Nicole "La La" Anthony (née Vázquez; born June 25, 1979 ) is an American television personality and actress. In the early 2000s, she worked as an MTV VJ on ''Total Request Live''. She was the host of the VH1 reality television reunion ...

as Micha *

Bronson Pinchot Bronson Alcott Pinchot (; born May 20, 1959) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Balki Bartokomous on the ABC sitcom '' Perfect Strangers'' (1986–93). He also performed in films, such as ''Risky Business'' (1983), ''Beverly Hill ...

as Bob *

Louis Gossett Jr. Louis Cameron Gossett Jr. (born May 27, 1936) is an American actor. Born in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, He had his stage debut at the age of 17, in a school production of '' You Can't Take It with You.'' Shortly after he successfully ...

as Coco *

Colin Salmon Colin Salmon (born ) is a British actor. He is known for playing Charles Robinson in three James Bond films and James "One" Shade in the ''Resident Evil'' film series. He has had roles on many television series such as ''Doctor Who'', ''Merli ...

as Old Ostrik *

Mustafa Shakir Mustafa Shakir (born August 21, 1976) is an American actor known for his portrayal as Bushmaster in ''Marvel's Luke Cage'', Big Mike in ''The Deuce'' and Jet Black in ''Cowboy Bebop'' (2021). Biography and career Shakir was born in North Caro ...

as Manchi * Isaach De Bankolé as Ernesto *

Barbara Eve Harris Barbara Eve Harris (born Barbara Evadney Reid-Hibbert; March 8, 1959) is a Tobagonian-Canadian actress, known for her supporting performances on television. She is best known for her role as FBI Agent Felicia Lang on ''Prison Break''. Life and ...

as Old Vera * Alexander Karim as Bubu * Saycon Sengbloh as Nora *Dani Dare as Ostrik *Heather Jocelyn Blair as Bob's Prim Wife

Production

The film is adapted from Curaçaoan author Frank Martinus Arion's Dutch-language novel ''Dubbelspel''. Filming took place on Curaçao.

References

External links

* * 2017 films 2017 drama films American drama films 2010s English-language films Films about games Films about infidelity Films about prostitution in the Netherlands Films about taxis Films based on Dutch novels Films directed by Ernest Dickerson Films set in the 1970s Films set in Curaçao Films shot in Curaçao Murder in films 2010s American films {{2010s-drama-film-stub