Wow. This is my favorite movie of the year so far, which is really surprising because—and I say this in all seriousness—I’m not sure I understand it. It’s like a Hitchcockian thriller, if Hitch was a huge fan of Kafka. It is a marvelous, mysterious, psychological thriller, and it really did remind me of Hitchcock’s psychological thrillers. The one thing that really sealed the comparison for me was the score. Hitch knew how to use music in a film, to take it beyond simple background and to imbue the film with another layer of emotion. (If you think I’m kidding, try watching the shower scene in Psycho without the “screech” and “heartbeat” of the strings section.) Here, Danny Bensi and Benson Jurriaans channel Bernard Hermann and create one of the most effective soundtracks I’ve heard in a while. It reinforces that feeling of impending dread, which I enjoy so much in thrillers.

Imagine watching a movie, and there, in the background, is someone who looks exactly like you. What would you do? If you’re Jake Gyllenhaal’s Adam, you track him down. That’s the premise of Enemy. But it’s so much more than that. The film has a bit of a reputation of being too surreal and…”out there,” but with the exception of a few scenes (including what may be the most frightening, horrific final scene I’ve seen since 1973’s Don’t Look Now), it’s fairly normal.  But it’s those scenes which make all the difference, and which may be the Rosetta Stone for deciphering the film. As I said, I’m still not sure I know what was going on, but I’ve enjoyed trying to figure it out since, and I can’t wait to watch it a second (and maybe a third) time.

Gyllenhaal’s as good here as he was in Zodiac or Prisoners (also directed by Villenueve), and the two female leads (Melanie Laurent, Sarah Gadon) compliment his character(s) nicely, especially Gadon. I’m quickly becoming a fan of Villenueve, seeing as how Prisoners was my #3 film of the year last year, and this one (although made earlier than Prisoners) is leading my summer pack of films.

Is this the best-made film I’ve seen this year? Probably not. But it IS my favorite so far. If you like films that make you think, that make you want to turn them over in your head for a few days after you see them, be sure to catch this one. Be aware, though—many of you are going to utter a very vocal “WTF?!” by the time you finish it. IMDB gives it an even 7. I’ve got to give it an 8, and I’ll make it an 8.5 if I ever figure it out. I’ve got my theories, though, and would love to discuss them with anyone who does decide to give this one a go. (running time 1:31)