A Number

Tom Wilkinson and Rhys Ifans lead in this shattering meditation on human identity. British playwright Caryl Churchill adapts her original play, examining the issue of human cloning via a thought-provoking, surprising and haunting father-son drama. 'Salter' (early 60s) is confronted by his adult son, 'Bernard' (aka 'B2') who has discovered that genetic replicas of himself exist. 'Salter' initially blames the cloning on an unscrupulous hospital and assures 'B2' that he is the original of the clones. Later, another, angrier son, 'B1', shows up on 'Salter's' doorstep. 'B1' confronts 'Salter' and their interaction reveals that 'B1' is actually the original: as a young widower, 'Salter' treated 'B1' poorly out of grief and decided to start over with a new version of his son. As more of 'Salter's' lies about his dark past are unveiled, the brothers' illusions are stripped away and they begin to question their individuality, culminating in a climax both shocking and tragic.