Not to take anything away from The Fly (and CERTAINLY not to take anything away from Jeff Goldblum's UNBELIEVABLE performance in that film), Dead Ringers shows Cronenberg finally growing up (though that did not seem to last past this film unfortunately).
Jeremy Irons is simply STUNNING in this film, and it's important to remember that, a couple of years later, while he was awarded the BEST ACTOR Academy Award for Reversal Of Fortune, he actually won the Oscar for THIS role. Yes, a classic case of a "make-up" Oscar (see: Cher, snubbed for Mask and then tragically given an Oscar for Moonstruck). Those who doubt this statement need only to listen to Irons' acceptance speech at the Academy Awards ceremony ("... and, for those of you who understand, thank you, David Cronenberg..." - AWESOME). So rare to see that kind of thing happen.
Jeremy Irons is simply STUNNING in this film, and it's important to remember that, a couple of years later, while he was awarded the BEST ACTOR Academy Award for Reversal Of Fortune, he actually won the Oscar for THIS role. Yes, a classic case of a "make-up" Oscar (see: Cher, snubbed for Mask and then tragically given an Oscar for Moonstruck). Those who doubt this statement need only to listen to Irons' acceptance speech at the Academy Awards ceremony ("... and, for those of you who understand, thank you, David Cronenberg..." - AWESOME). So rare to see that kind of thing happen.