Hollywood constantly mines familiar and successful themes for its new movies. One such common theme is the “mistaken identity” movie. In this particular kind of story, the protagonist is usually mistaken for someone else, which ends up causing great trouble for them in their lives. Ultimately, the protagonist must prove they are who they say they are.
This story has been recycled over the years and adapted to fit many different scenarios, whether it’s action, thriller, drama, or comedy. Many of the movies that feature the mistaken identity storyline have proved to be popular, with a few even becoming classics, so audiences can expect to see this story type around for a long time.
Lucky Number Slevin
In Lucky Number Slevin, a houseguest named Slevin (Josh Hartnett) gets mistaken for his friend by the mob and forced to carry out a hit on their rival’s son. The film is notable for having an all-star cast that includes Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, and more.
The film is a clever mix of comedy and action with sharp dialogue and an overall visually stylized look. Despite mixed reviews, performances from the great cast were praised and Lucky Number Slevin was a modest box office hit.
The Majestic
In The Majestic, Jim Carrey plays a blacklisted screenwriter who becomes an amnesiac after a car accident. He’s then taken in by a town that believes he’s actually a local soldier thought to be killed in World War II. Eventually, his memory returns, and he has to choose between remaining the person they thought he was or telling the truth and risk breaking their hearts.
Directed by The Shawshank Redemption’sFrank Darabont, The Majestic features Jim Carrey in his most Jimmy Stewart-esque role and is an homage to the earnest Frank Capra movies of old that preach American values, as well as being a great love letter to film itself.
Date Night
Date Night tells the story of a couple (Steve Carell and Tina Fey) in a boring marriage who, when trying to reinvigorate their relationship by having a romantic date night out, get mistaken for a different couple who are wanted by a mobster. Their romantic evening turns into a night of espionage where they essentially have to become the people they’re accused of being in order to survive.
Date Night cleverly takes the mistaken identity premise and uses it to give a couple’s relationship excitement and adventure, and their marriage ultimately grows stronger as a result. A surprise comedy hit when released in 2010, critics and audiences loved the pairing of Carell and Fey for their great chemistry together.
Dave
Directed by Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman, Dave concerns the titular character (Kevin Kline), a presidential impersonator who gets hired by the Chief Of Staff to double for the president in order to cover up a scandal. Now, he has to fool the First Lady and lead the country as the president.
The film is a lighthearted, clever satire of American politics and audiences enjoyed the idea of an everyday person becoming president. Dave was a critical and commercial hit, earning praise from then-President Bill Clinton and it received an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay.
The Wrong Man
With The Wrong Man, legendary director Alfred Hitchcock made one of his few movies based on a true story and it became widely considered one of his best. The film concerns Manny (Henry Fonda), a musician trying to borrow money from a bank to pay for his wife’s surgery. However, he gets mistaken at the bank for someone who had previously robbed it and, from there, Manny’s life spirals out of control.
The Wrong Man has been discussed by many critics over the years, with famed director Jean Luc Goddard’s thoughts on the film the most notable: “The subject of this film lies less in the unexpectedness of events than in their probability.”
The Monster (Il Mostro)
Before Roberto Benigni made the classic masterpiece Life Is Beautiful, he was a successful Italian comedy star, and his biggest hit was the comedy Il Mostro or The Monster. In the film, Benigni plays Loris, a simple mannequin handler mistaken for a notorious serial killer known as “The Monster.”
Despite not being the killer, Loris’ odd behavior keeps convincing people he is and hilarity ensues. When released, the film became the highest-grossing Italian film of all time, with many comparing Benigni to the likes of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin.
Life Of Brian
One of the best mistaken identity movies is also considered the most controversial. Created by the famous comedy team Monty Python, Life Of Brian concerns Brian, a man born on the same day as Jesus, who finds himself getting mistaken for him, earning him throngs of followers.
Although banned in several countries upon release, it has since become a comedy classic and a blisteringly funny (although some might say blasphemous) critique of religion. The film is also famous for its ironic closing song Brian sings during crucifixion: “Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life.”
The Big Lebowski
In the classic Coen Brothers crime caper comedy The Big Lebowski, stoner Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski (Jeff Bridges) gets assaulted in his home due to his attackers believing him to be a millionaire, also named Jeffrey Lebowski. From there, he gets hired by the other Jeffrey Lebowski to deliver a ransom and everything hilariously falls apart.
The Coen Brothers attempted to tell a Raymond Chandler-esque mystery but using the unlikeliest of characters. Despite being unsuccessful upon release, The Big Lebowski has become a classic and is considered one of the funniest movies of all time.
Galaxy Quest
Similar in premise to the comedy classic Three Amigos, Galaxy Quest concerns has-been actors from a Star Trek-like show called “Galaxy Quest,” who an alien race believes are real heroes and so they enlist them to help defend themselves against an evil ruler.
Galaxy Quest features a clever script that’s funny and also tender, as the actors, embarrassed of their work, discover how important and meaningful it really is. A modest success when released, Galaxy Quest has become a classic and there is often talk of some sort of follow-up series or film.
North By Northwest
North By Northwest is perhaps the most famous tale of mistaken identity ever put to screen. Directed by the master, Alfred Hitchcock, the film stars Cary Grant as a man mistaken for a government agent before getting pursued cross-country by a spy. Along the way, the film has many thrilling action scenes, including the iconic crop duster scene, as well as the classic climactic fight atop Mount Rushmore.
North By Northwest remains one of Hitchcock’s most influential films, not just on the subject of mistaken identity, but the action-thriller archetype that’s still used today, and it is considered one of the greatest films of all time.
Being There
Based on the book, Being There stars comedy legend Peter Sellers in perhaps his most brilliant role. He plays Chance, a gardener whose knowledge only comes from television. He gets mistaken for a businessman and ends up becoming the political advisor to the president.
Being There was lauded upon release and is now considered a classic. The film remains a satire that critics and audiences have tried to interpret, especially its memorable final scene. Being There was nominated for several Oscars, including one for Sellers, but he went home empty-handed.
