Twinless, 2025.
Written and Directed by James Sweeney
Starring Dylan O’Brien, James Sweeney, Lauren Graham, Aisling Franciosi, Tasha Smith, Chris Perfetti, Susan Park, Heidi Herschbach, Teddy Van Ee, Conner Deadrick, Arkira Chantaratananond, Kody Harvard, Jannette Bloom, Cree Cicchino, and François Arnaud.
SYNOPSIS::
Two young men meet in a twin bereavement support group and form an unlikely bromance.
Although most twins, presumably like most siblings in general, develop more distinct identities and personalities as they grow up, losing a twin is akin to losing a part of oneself. Technically, the same could be said about the loss of a romantic partner or any loved one, but the symmetrical aspect of a twin makes that particular circumstance more unique. Writer/Director James Sweeney’s (who also stars in the film) Twinless sees this specific type of bereavement as an opportunity to intriguingly deep dive into those dynamics, which in this case contains a heavy dose of codependency,
It’s also a nutty, twisty film that, despite some frustrating contrivances and a third act that stagnates in waiting for the other shoe to drop, smartly uses each narrative swerve to shake up the character dynamics or explore the intricacies of relationship types, dabbling in themes such as the previously mentioned codependency, but also uncontrollable anger, fetishes taken to a mentally unwell extreme, jealousy, obsession, and possession.
Without spoiling anything significant, it can be said that Dylan O’Brien is here in a dual role, playing twins: Roman, a heterosexual and directionless loner with anger issues, and Rocky, a flamboyantly gay and outgoing, sexually active mustachioed charmer. There is some nonlinear storytelling here, although the film opens following the sudden tragic death of Rocky, leaving Roman emotionally gutted and seemingly more hotheaded than ever, even though the two grew apart as they transitioned into adulthood. There is more to his pain revealed over time.
Nevertheless, Roman starts attending bereavement group therapy for twins and meets Dennis (James Sweeney), who instantly latches onto him. Roman also regrets not remaining tight siblings with Rocky and doesn’t necessarily want to be alone, so he accepts Dennis’s offer to go grocery shopping and hang out. However, the two of them eventually develop a codependent friendship. Dennis is also gay, and it’s only a matter of time before Roman starts getting romantically involved with someone who catches his eye, meaning that this clingy is not built to last, even if one of them desperately wants it to stay that way forever. As such, Roman begins seeing Aisling Franciosi’s Marcie, which threatens to blow up whatever Roman and Dennis have.
Twinless also has soap opera elements going for it that, again, shouldn’t be spoiled. However, this is not a tacky drama about mentally damaged people, as there are occasionally raw, heartbreaking insights about these characters whenever the dynamics shift and force the characters to speak to each other differently. At one point, Dylan O’Brien is encouraged to pretend he is talking to his dead twin; it’s a devastating monologue revealing much about the character. It also works on other layers, such as knowing what else is happening in the narrative and the ulterior motives and secrets behind others.
James Sweeney also appears to have an affinity for the pop culture phenomenon video game series The Sims, not only taking time to show Roman playing and talking about how the game mirrors the neediness of real-life human beings but also visually weaving that affection into a Halloween party. Much like those games are about character creation, Roman and Dennis gradually change or step into the shoes of others across the film, making that motif stand out further. Twinless is absurd and compulsively entertaining on the surface, but there is also something bruised, moving, and layered about these characters.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, Critics Choice Association, and Online Film Critics Society. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews and follow my BlueSky or Letterboxd
