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January 25, 2025Sharing the same face as another person can make for an interesting existence. Some identical twins behave and live the same way, doing nearly everything together, while others may be united by appearance but not by personality or interests. Twinless explores this phenomenon through the lens of the shared grief two twins experience after losing their other halves in untimely accidents.
At the funeral for his brother Rocky, Roman (Dylan O’Brien) is showered with tearful affection by many for the loss he has just suffered. When he attends a a support group for twins, he meets Dennis (James Sweeney), who has recently lost his own brother. Though they’re not all that alike, they strike up a quick and close friendship motivated by having someone else to be with for simple things like grocery shopping. As they grow closer, important details about the nature of their friendship threaten to bubble to the surface.
This film balances the weighty demands of fulfilling two genres, probing the crushing grief that both protagonists, and especially Roman, feel at suddenly being solo, complicated by the fact that he and Rocky weren’t on superb terms at the end, and being heartwarmingly funny. Their first meeting is based entirely in humor, and much of the way that they interact with each other and the world is rooted in comedic misunderstandings. The premise is dramatic but the content is filled with levity. Fortunately, the shifts in tones still feel natural and cohesive.
As Roman, O’Brien is gruff and prone to anger, and also tends to use a number of incorrect expressions, like “the brighter tool in the shed,” which he quickly tells Dennis to correct him on but to do it without laughing at him. Seen briefly in flashbacks, Rocky, also portrayed by O’Brien is infinitely more gregarious and confident, impossibly charming and in a much better headspace. Both performances are nuanced and exceptional, and watching how Roman responds to certain situations and personalities is both revealing and entertaining.
Sweeney, who also serves as writer and director, is magnificently hard to read in the best way. Dennis immediately warms to Roman and yearns for his friendship, accompanying him to sports games and the gym, two places where he’s certainly not in his element. That Roman asks right away if he’s gay since Rocky was too helps to ease them into a rapport where the more booksmart Dennis can feel comfortable around Roman, who prefers to work with his hands (Dennis at one point says that he’s been told his hands are soft as if he’s never worked a day in his life). There’s much more to Dennis than meets the eye, and Sweeney does a masterful job of slowly unraveling him in a believable and immensely watchable way.
While this duo anchors and carries the film, there’s also a noteworthy supporting performance from Aisling Franciosi as a good-natured coworker of Dennis’ who befriends Roman and adds another altogether different demeanor to the mix. Lauren Graham has a minimal part as Roman and Rocky’s grieving mother, but her appearance is quite brief. While she might have been utilized more substantially, having Roman on a solitary journey without support from her aids in his being able to forge a connection with Roman that audiences will absolutely appreciate. With his second feature film, Sweeney delivers something that could at times be far-fetched but manages to remain grounded thanks to an emphasis on human relationships and unlikely friendships. Sweeney is smart to cast himself in his own project, ensuring that the tone that he wants is felt. Twinless is both energetically funny and deeply resonant, making for a highly rewarding watch.
Movie Rating: 8/10