Movie Review
Quirky relationship film Twinless covers grief in a novel way
Dylan O'Brien and James Sweeney in Twinless.
Filmmakers have found all sorts of ways to confront the concept of grief in movies, so it’s rare to find a film that approaches it in a unique way. The new release Twinless does just that, pairing together two men who meet at a group designed for people whose twins have died, leaving them without the bond that only those who have been a twin will know well.
Roman (Dylan O’Brien) and Dennis (James Sweeney) are close to polar opposites. Roman is straight, a little dense, and a virtual stranger to Portland, where he’s staying after the sudden death of his brother, Rocky. Dennis is gay, a little overly familiar, and clingy, something that comes into play when the two of them strike up an unexpected friendship in the group.
Roman and Dennis start hanging out on a regular basis, providing comfort to each other at a time when they both need it most. However, the audience is given information about Dennis that Roman does not have, and in that withholding lies the main tension of the film. The closer they get, the more the potential of Dennis’ secret coming out starts to weigh on him and the audience.
Written and directed by Sweeney, the film mixes tones to mostly positive effect. Because of the concept of the film, death and grief color the entire story, and yet Sweeney manages to keep things relatively light. The interplay between the two main characters is never too heavy, even when they’re discussing what could be depressing topics.
Sweeney introduces several side characters who maintain the diverting nature of the film, most notably Marcie (Aisling Francioni), a receptionist at the company where Dennis works. Marcie at first seems to be a flighty, eternally sunny person who will be the comic relief of the film. But the character starts to become a bigger part of the story as it goes along, and she winds up being one of its most important pieces.
Through Roman and Dennis, the film confronts the idea of people putting on masks when dealing with others and the casual lies some people tell to protect themselves. The decision-making of certain characters is understandable given the rawness of their personal lives, but they also do some indefensible things that undermine the nicer parts of their personalities.
Sweeney gives himself the starring role in the film, and he makes the most of it. Dennis is a strange character whose confidence ebbs and flows throughout the story, and Sweeney’s performance keeps him consistently interesting. O’Brien, who briefly gets to play Rocky in flashbacks, is also solid even if his character isn’t quite as deep due to the nature of the story. Francioni, who also made an impression in 2024’s Speak No Evil, deserves to be the breakout star from the film.
Twinless is a film that’s difficult to categorize, getting by more on vibe than anything else. But the way it deals with the aftermath of unexpected death and a new connection that may be built on shaky ground turns the film into one that remains compelling throughout.
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Twinless opens in theaters on September 5.
Amber Barth of Skate VIDA performs after the tree is lit.Photo by Ashley Gongora
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