Equinox

Duality is one of the themes in Equinox. The ever-shifting balance between good and evil is another. The crumbling state of the inner city is the film's recurring backdrop. And really bad TV punctuates several scenes.

In this nature vs. nurture tale, Matthew Modine plays twins who were separated at birth. One is adopted and raised by a congenial M. Emmet Walsh, while the other is brought up in an orphanage. The first man, of course, is basically good, although weak and naive. The second man works for a crime boss and is moody and cunning.

The good brother is an auto mechanic who lives in a rat hole of an apartment. He's so shy, he can barely talk to women, let alone date them, and he spends a good deal of time hiding from the world. The other bro' doesn't spend much time talking to anyone.

Equinox is an Alan Rudolph flick, which means that you can't expect the mystery to be explained by the off-beat, ambivalent storyline. Aside from that, the movie offers a good ensemble cast, a quirky tempo and dream-like photography, successfully delivering a unique sense of style that's half film noir and half black comedy. It's a strange mix, but fascinating to watch.