Niles-Maine District Library


Three Blind Mice or Three Identical Strangers

Under the recommendation from a fellow colleague, I recently sat down to watch a compelling documentary titled Three Identical Strangers. The film follows the lives of triplets separated at birth and finally reuniting 19 years later under unusual circumstances.

As one half of two sets of twins in my family; I was intrigued. What turns out to be a heartwarming reunion slowly delves into dark territory with a secret that will forever change their lives.  Viewers will be left astounded and mortified by the time the credits roll.

The documentary uniquely blends dramatic re-enactments with real life accounts told from the P.O.V of the actual subjects of the film. It starts off with one of the primary subjects, Robert (Bobby) Shafran, recounting the event that sparks his journey; his first day of college. Scores of students greet him as he passes by, none of whom he recognizes. After settling into his dorm room, he comes face to face with someone he believes is his friend, Eddy. He soon realizes it’s his doppelganger. They quickly jet off campus to meet him, which eventually leads to the reunion of all three brothers.

From there, the real life subjects tell their perspective of the events that transpired, which catapulted them into stardom. Along the way, they learned to become brothers. They were inseparable. But their reunion is short lived when tragedy strikes and the revelation of a secret changes the course of their relationship forever. Sounds like a plot taken out of a dramatic film, doesn’t it?

Three Identical Strangers was well executed. The re-enactments were a fresh approach as if you were watching a fictionalized version of a true crime tale. But before it dives into a dramatic narrative, the film pulls you back to reality. As I was listening to the brothers account of their relationship, I was drawn to their lives and I sympathized with their ordeal.

Beyond that, we connect with the lives of their family and who they are, how they came to be the way they are, and how they developed a connection.

If you’re looking for a documentary with a mystery that will leave your jaws hanging, I highly recommend Three Identical Strangers.

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