History YMMV / Multiplicity

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: While the film avoids this for the most part, cloning is mostly referred to as "Xeroxing", referencing copying an image with a photocopie. Were the film made today, it would more likely be called "copy-and-pasting".

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: While the film avoids this for the most part, cloning is mostly referred to as "Xeroxing", referencing copying an image with a photocopier, were the film made today, it would more likely be called "copy-and-pasting".

** Why does Clone #3 lose all knowledge of Doug's job so he can't even answer simple questions (aside from RuleOfFunny)?

* FridgeLogic: There was no reason why he couldn't tell his wife about the clones.

** Why does Clone #3 lose all knowledge of Doug's job so he can't even answer simple questions (aside from RuleOfFunny)?
* TalkingToHimself: Creator/MichaelKeaton, all the time.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Were the clones' personalities just the result if Doug had been single-minded in his life choices (if he focused only on work or family) or was there something programmed into them to be subservient and be forced into fitting into their selected roles? Also, do the clones actually have free will, or not?
* AngstWhatAngst: When the first clone is created he seems to be gearing up for a CloningBlues moment as he reveals he remembers everything from Doug's past, even walking into the cloning clinic and agreeing to the procedure, but that gets thrown out the window once the doctor reveals who the real Doug is. Not only that, but both work clone and family clone seem pretty accommodating (at least for awhile) when they're informed/ordered to live in the family's guest house and that they will never be allowed to have sex (either with Doug's real wife or permitted to date since it draws attention).

* TalkingToHimself: Creator/MichaelKeaton, all the time.
* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: It's clear the audience is supposed to understand Doug is overworked and overburdened but eventually learns to appreciate his life when the clones live it for him ... but in actual practice Doug comes off as a jerk. Creating the work clone is one thing, but when he realizes that with more free time his wife and family will want more from him, he quickly ditches them on a clone as well. Not only that, but he treats his clones fairly poorly, locking them into the guest cottage when they aren't in use and forbidding them from having sex (either with his wife or by dating).

* TalkingToHimself: Creator/MichaelKeaton, all the time.

* TalkingToHimself: Creator/MichaelKeaton, all the time.

* TalkingToHimself: MichaelKeaton, all the time.

* UnfortunateImplications: The whole premise of the movie is that it takes four men to please one woman, and even then they don't quite get it right.
** Alternatively, the moral might be don't try to fix your problems with quick solutions. Doug thinks at first that delegating his responsibilities would make his life easier: it doesn't and in fact he gets more estranged from his family and what he actually wants. He gets a lot of work done because HE thinks his wife wants more luxury but he never actually listens to her; she wants to work not because of the money (even though they are in a kind of tight financial situation, because neither plans things ahead of time) but because of self realization. And in the end Doug realizes this and his procrastination with stuff related to his family is the actual problem, so in a sense he goes and fixes things. And his wife is plenty pleased sexually; so maybe the other moral is sex isn't everything in a marriage?
** Another problem is his wife having sex with his clones-essentially the ultimate BedTrick, though none of the parties actually planned it that way.

* CrocodileTears: Doug's wife used tears to manipulate him into letting her go back to work, when really she shouldn't have needed his permission in the first place.

** She might very well have freaked out at the least. Of course, keeping it from her means that she essentially had sex with identical twins of his without ever knowing it.
* StayInTheKitchen: "That's why you have breasts," is used as a reason why the wife should not go back to work, and should automatically be nurturing toward children.

** Not really, the moral if any is: don't try to fix your problems with quick solutions. Doug thinks at first that delegating his responsibilities would make his life easier: it doesn't and in fact he gets more estranged from his family and what he actually wants. He gets a lot of work done because HE thinks his wife wants more luxury but he never actually listens to her; she wants to work not because of the money (even though they are in a kind of tight financial situation, because neither plans things ahead of time) but because of self realization. And in the end Doug realizes this and his procrastination with stuff related to his family is the actual problem, so in a sense he goes and fixes things. And his wife is plenty pleased sexually; so maybe the other moral is sex isn't everything in a marriage?

* StayInTheKitchen: "That's why you have breasts," as a reason why the wife should not go back to work, and should automatically be nurturing toward children.
* CrocodileTears: She used tears to manipulate him into letting her go back to work, when really she shouldn't have needed his permission in the first place.

** Not really, the moral if any is: don't try to fix your problems with quick solutions. Doug thinks at first that delegating his responsabilities would make his life easier: it doesn't and in fact he gets more stranged from his family and what he actually wants. He gets a lot of work done because HE thinks his wife wants more luxury but he never actually listens to her; she wants to work not because of th emoney (even tough they are in a kind of thigt financial situation, because neither plans things ahead of time) but because of self realization. And in the end Doug realizes this and his procastination with stuff related to his family is the actual problem, so in a sense he goes and fixes things. And his wife is plenty pleased sexually; so maybe the other moral is sex isn't everything in a marriage?

* UnfortunateImplications: The whole premise of the movie is that it takes four men to please one woman, and even then they don't quite get it right."

And the whole premise of the movie, although I can't point yet to the specific trope, is "It takes four men to please one woman, and even then they don't get it right."

* StayInTheKitchen: "That's why you have breasts," as a reason why the wife should not go back to work, and should automatically be nurturing toward children. And the idea that she needed his permission to go back to work, anyway.
* CrocodileTears: She used tears to manipulate him every time she didn't get her way.