Highlighting the film is the immensely amusing and astute acting by its star, Toni Servillo (“The Great Beauty”), who plays two roles. Servillo portrays Enrico Oliveri, the leader of an opposition party. His reputation and that of the party have hit the skids, and after a speech nastily greeted, Enrico decides to disappear. There is an urgent need to hide the fact. As it happens Enrico has a look-alike twin brother, Giovanni, a writer and philosopher, who has been recently released from an insane asylum. Servillo masterly plays that role too.

You can see the possibilities. Enrico’s major aide Andrea schemes to replace the leader with his brother, while we follow Enrico’s adventures hiding out in France. The big joke, of course, is that the brother from the mental institution talks to the press and makes speeches as a leader who energizes the party in a manner that was lacking.

It’s all very funny, as well as a bit wistful when Enrico hides out in the home of his old flame, tantalizingly played by Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, who is now married. Meanwhile, Giovanni is at home in Italy with Enrico’s wife, who knows of the deception. What we learn about the twin brothers’ love life adds to the humor, as well as to understanding them and their lives.

One joyous scene has Giovanni paying a visit to his pals in the mental institution. This, along with Giovanni’s new role as ruler of the party, adds to placing the film in the category of movies about the mentally ill taking over the world of the so-called sane. There is added comedy in a scene in which Giovanni, given to a funny walk and the art of vanishing, meets with the president of Italy.

The director uses music to advantage, lending the film an operatic feeling at times. The idea of twins has its own fascination. We learn of the games the brothers played when they were young, and there remains a mental closeness even though their lives have drifted so far apart.