James Sweeney made an auspicious feature filmmaking debut in 2019 with his snappy, dialogue-packed Straight Up. This hilarious and touching story of a gay man who decides he wants to date women out of sheer loneliness showcased a bold and original cinematic voice. He established a distinct visual style of negative space framing and surreal flourishes. Think Ida meets a less twee Wes Anderson film with a healthy dose of split screen. His sophomore effort, Twinless, shows a maturation of his talents by upgrading the droll, dry tone of his first with something deeply affecting and complex. His new film feels so much more mature, has a fascinating structure filled with its fair share of surprises, and also happens to be one of the year’s best pictures.
After a brief yet startling opening shot, we meet Dennis, played by Sweeney, and Roman (Dylan O’Brien) at a twins bereavement support group, where both detail the tragic loss of their brothers. Dennis and Roman, gay and straight respectively, strike up a deep and unusual friendship which carries us through the story. To say more would spoil the beautifully realized twists and turns of the plot. Suffice it to say, there’s much more going on than meets the eye. Exploring themes of obsession, betrayal and the ups and downs of a soul connection, Twinless has cleverness to spare, but emerges as something profound and heartbreaking.
Most of the credit goes to the two lead performances. Sweeney brings an off-kilter approach to his role, moving effortlessly between an endearing social awkwardness and a bitingly cruel sociopathy. It’s understandable that a grieving person like him can erratically bounce all around on that spectrum. O’Brien’s Roman, however, feels like an open wound with his visible pain and short fuse. Their instant connection has the strange brew feeling of bromance meets trauma bond. Roman’s late brother Rocky (also played by O’Brien) was gay and Dennis seems to fill the gap since his loss. With a structure containing flashbacks and a story which double backs on itself, we see each character in surprising new lights. O’Brien masterfully embodies the violent, lost Roman and the socially confident, flirty Rocky. O’Brien received a Special Jury prize for the role at Sundance earlier this year, and in a perfect world, a performance this great would get remembered during the upcoming awards season. He takes what could easily be perceived as a clever, millennial indie and makes you ache for his character. One scene in particular in which he role plays with Dennis astounded me with his ability to tap into Roman’s anger.
Supporting characters also shine, with Lauren Graham as Roman’s mother deftly navigating her own grief while trying to support her son. Tasha Smith, Susan Park and Chris Perfetti have small roles yet manage to make vivid, sometimes hilarious impressions. Aisling Franciosi, who has already shown her talent and range in such films as The Nightingale and Speak No Evil, gets the MVP award here with her turn as Marcie, one of Dennis’ co-workers. Seemingly all smiles and naïveté, her character progressively deepens to reveal a strong, smart woman underneath all that sunshine. I couldn’t believe how much I cared for her Marcie. In fact, all three leads invest their characters with such depth of feeling, they elevated material which already carries so much richness.
Special mention must also go to cinematographer Greg Cotten, who could easily have opted for a handheld, cinéma vérité style but goes for a striking, expertly composed boldness instead. A long tracking shot of Dennis walking by several pairs of twins on the streets of Portland serves as one memorable example. I also really loved composer Jung Jae-il’s score; an emotional, swirling soundscape reminiscent of Philip Glass.
If I were to quibble (and I will!), I would have preferred a little less mumbling from O’Brien. Two moments in particular took me out of the movie when I couldn’t understand him at all. Sweeney’s smart, rapid fire dialogue can seem overwhelming at times, but neither issue took away from my appreciation of this original and surprisingly heartfelt achievement. Take note that the opening credits don’t appear until twenty minutes into the movie as a testament to Sweeney’s sense of play and daring. I also love a filmmaker who knows how to stick the landing, and the final scene, especially the very last line of dialogue, proved to me that Sweeney values storytelling and knows how to deliver right up to the very end.
By Glenn Gaylord, Senior Film Critic
Twinless opens in select theaters on Friday, September 5th.
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