Another You (2017) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film takes place across several distinct locations that highlight its comedic deception theme. Key settings include a bustling museum, a stylish café, a grand mansion (the brewery heir's estate), and an Austrian restaurant. The story also traverses a sanitarium and concludes at a tropical beach where a wedding occurs. These settings create contrasts between public performance and private moments, illusion and reality.

• setting
• movie locations
• mansion
• brewery
• restaurant
• beach

Another You is set in the 1990s, featuring modern urban spaces and familiar social venues of that era. The contemporary setting includes locations like museums, cafés, and private estates that were typical of the decade. This temporal backdrop anchors the comedy's pace and the consequences of the characters' deceptions.

• 1990s
• time period
• era
• contemporary setting

The movie explores three central themes. Deception drives the plot as characters assume false identities and stage events to mislead others about Abe Fielding's heir. Loyalty tests the relationships between Eddie, George, and Elaine as honesty gradually replaces their web of lies. Greed fuels Rupert's scheme to control the brewery and inheritance, ultimately leading to his downfall when truth prevails.

• themes
• deception
• loyalty
• greed
• meaning

Eddie Dash is a resourceful but unscrupulous con man played by Richard Pryor. He partners with George for community service and orchestrates the scheme to impersonate Abe Fielding's heir. Eddie is self-serving, quick-witted, and willing to manipulate facts for money and influence. While his improvisation keeps the deception alive, he ultimately helps expose Rupert's plot and contributes to the story's resolution.

• eddie dash
• richard pryOR
• con man
• character

George, played by Gene Wilder, is a reformed pathological liar who gets drawn into Eddie's scheme. He is earnest, hopeful, and conflicted about the deception, especially regarding Elaine. Unlike Eddie, George is capable of genuine feeling, and his honesty gradually surfaces throughout the film. His bond with Elaine helps him choose sincerity over the con, ultimately pursuing a rightful outcome.

• george
• gene wilder
• character
• reformed liar

Deception is the engine of the entire plot. Eddie and George perpetuate a careful lie to mislead Elaine, Rupert, and others about being Abe Fielding's heir. This deception creates comic farce but also real stakes, forcing characters to choose between self-interest and genuine feeling. As truths surface, the cost of living a lie becomes clear, leading to consequences for all involved.

• deception
• con
• scheme
• impersonation
• lie

The loyalty theme explores how friendship is tested when Eddie's opportunism clashes with George's growing honesty. Elaine's sympathy for George shows that loyalty can be earned through sincerity rather than deception. The alliance between Eddie, George, and Elaine ultimately counters Rupert's scheme and protects their future, demonstrating that genuine connections require honesty.

• loyalty
• friendship
• trust
• alliance
• sincerity

Greed drives the antagonist Rupert's plan to control the brewery and inheritance. His pursuit of wealth fuels a web of schemes, including hiring actors to impersonate Abe and plotting harm to achieve his goals. The unmasking of greed exposes its fragility, despite all his money and influence, Rupert cannot withstand truth and accountability, ultimately leading to his defeat.

• greed
• money
• inheritance
• brewery
• antagonist
• rupert

Another You is a comedy-drama with a consistently light tone. The film emphasizes the comical and chaotic nature of its deception rather than darker elements. While there is moderate complexity from the layered scam and a twist involving Rupert's counter-plot, the intensity remains medium. The emotional weight is light, focusing on the thrill of the con and character growth rather than heavy trauma or serious consequences.

• comedy
• drama
• tone
• genre
• lighthearted

The primary emotional journey in Another You is one of redemption and forming genuine connections through a web of lies. The ending is unambiguously happy, resolving with reconciliation, success, and a wedding. Characters who began as con artists and deceivers ultimately find redemption by choosing honesty over manipulation, showing that sincere connections are more rewarding than fraudulent gains.

• redemption
• happy ending
• emotional journey
• wedding
• resolution