This article contains spoilers for “Twinless.”
“Twinless,” filmmaker James Sweeney’s second film hit theaters through a limited release in September and has received only glowing praise from critics and audiences alike. This sibling-centered story offers a lighter take on the grief-based films that have taken over the drama genre, fusing dark humor into its presentation to tell a story about trust and obsession.
“Twinless” follows Roman (Dylan O’Brien) navigating life after losing his identical twin, Rocky, in a car accident. While attending a support group for twinless people, or those grieving a twin, he meets the awkward yet charming Dennis (James Sweeney), and they become fast friends.
The first segment of the film is from Roman’s perspective. Everything seems bleak and blue as we see snapshots of Roman going through the motions of life without Rocky.
When Roman meets Dennis, he believes they are experiencing the same grief and bonds with him quickly. They evolve from “grocery buddies” to friends. Soon, they are playing video games together, going to hockey games and doing everything else.
Then we see Dennis’ perspective.Contrasting Roman’s short clips, one long shot shows Dennis alone in a restaurant, where he meets Rocky. Dennis has had a twin obsession since childhood; this evolves quickly into an obsession with Rocky. Dennis becomes so enthralled with Rocky that after receiving no response for days, he finds and stops Rocky on the street, leading to a fatal car accident.
This scene also marks a change in the film’s coloring — it is much brighter and yellower. These visual cues help clue the audience in to the fact that the rest of the film is from Dennis’ perspective — he is not actually mourning anyone.
If you ignore his lies, Dennis is pretty likeable. However, his lies become hard to ignore. Dennis’ coworker Marcie (Aisling Franciosi), a sweet and single redhead, almost catches him photoshopping two childhood photos together to create proof of “Dean.”
After a hockey game and a fight with homophobic teens, Roman opens up to Dennis about never being able to share his feelings with his twin. The slow buildup of emotion as Roman stares into the camera and breaks down is incredibly emotion-stirring and would bring a tear to anyone’s eye. His voice gets higher, then angry, before he eventually quiets, breaking into tears amidst cries of, “I don’t know how to fucking be here without you.”
During this scene, I felt my eyes tear up as Dennis’ did, and I felt a connection to him and how he comforted Roman. This only led to further confusion about the audience's connection to Dennis — while his actions are wrong, it’s hard not to feel empathy towards him.
The following scene, a houseparty, is the best in the film. Dennis and Roman pair off with each other’s friends, the screen splitting to show both simultaneously.
Next we see Roman falling in love with Marcie at first sight. This direct comparison between Roman and Dennis shows how different they are — Roman is genuine, looking for connection, while Dennis only has eyes for the twin and is not interested in anyone else.
Later, as Dennis third wheels Marcie and Roman, she begins to unravel his secret. James Sweeney’s performance as Dennis is at its best here, presenting the character as lovable and despicable all at once. Writing, directing, producing and starring in a film that creates a character so divisive it’s truly impressive.
As Marcie asks more questions about Dennis’s “twin,” the trio enters a museum display full of twirling lights, a well-done visual representation of Dennis’s panic. Staring at himself in the mirrored wall, Dennis yells that he is having a panic attack. It is unclear if this is yet another lie or if Dennis is genuinely scared of the truth being revealed.
When Dennis confesses the whole truth to Roman, Roman beats him badly, and their friendship ends. The final scene takes us back to the same diner where Dennis met Rocky. Roman invites Dennis for a chat, and they share some awkward banter that is reminiscent of their old friendship, but missing the spark they used to share.
I believe a good movie brings peaks and valleys of emotion. “Twinless” allowed me to laugh out loud, gasp in shock and let tears fall all in 90 minutes. The narrative was just as breathtakingly beautiful as the imagery. The final scene attempts to tie everything up, even though things are so complicated they can’t be. The pair can’t possibly be friends again.
So, is it a happy ending? I’m not sure, but I know I had a good time.
