by Samuel Nichols, Contributing Writer
The duality of being a twin: You are your own person, but you’re also inextricably bonded to another. Do I have any idea how that works? No. I am not a twin. But it makes sense to me. You’re born the same time as someone else and grow up with them. When you grow up, if you go separate ways, you could feel like you’ve lost a part of yourself. Phantom limb syndrome, but with a person. Twinless explores the emotional void a twin leaves behind.
After his twin Rocky dies suddenly, Roman (Dylan O’Brien) has to pick up the pieces left by his passing. After attending a single twin support group, he meets Dennis (James Sweeney, who also writes and directs). The two find solace in each other. Getting groceries, attending events, and going out together, they become nigh inseparable. But when Dennis’ stories stop lining up all the time, and Roman finds romance in Dennis’ coworker Marcie (Aisling Franciosi), some contention begins to show up between the twinless protagonists.
Racked with visual references to pairs and partnership, the movie has an incredible sense of how to convey its themes in not just the story, but through the camera. While our characters are pouring out their souls to each other, just behind them are objects arranged as a visual metaphor. One great example that’s stuck with me are a pair of coffee containers at the support group. Clearly there to show two things that are the same but just slightly different. Another is a terrific split screen scene where the two go off in different directions at a party. We watch their potential meet-cutes, and other interactions happen here, showing the difference between our leads. This movie earns a second viewing with all the storytelling done just behind our focus.
Front and center with his performance is O’Brien. Playing twins is always an opportunity to show off range, so there is some showiness in his work here. But mostly that is confined to the singular scene where he plays Rocky. When he’s Rocky, everything is just under the surface. Here is a man who might be a step behind, but is still trying to keep up. He’s a man of a different time, but someone who wants others to know he loves them. Watching him try to grow and find common footing with both Dennis and Marcie is beautiful. Particularly, I enjoy his time on screen with Franciosi. As they fall in love in acts two and three it makes sense. They fit together like a pair of perfect puzzle pieces, and support each other in an ideal and beautiful way.
On the other end of complex is Sweeney. He is a kind and caring person when he is around Roman and the brief time we see him with Rocky. Get him around anyone else, and it is obvious he is very insecure. Obviously, he yearns for connection, but it is just with Rocky, who he will do almost anything to keep just to himself. Bringing up Franciosi again, when they interact, he sneers and looks down on Marcie’s kindness. But that desire for connection is also from a place of absence like Rocky. Holistically he is not a bad person. Sweeney manages to capture all of that in his performance.
After those two there are more layered performances on the screen. Franciosi is an integral part of this cast. While everyone is trying to bring a little more light into their life, she is a bright beam of joy. Her character gives love to anyone she interacts with deeply, deserving or not. She is necessary in this movie. In a much smaller part is Lauren Graham as Roman and Rocky’s mother. Probably my only real qualm with this movie is not giving Lorelai Gilmore herself a meatier part. Yes she’s a grieving mother, but she could’ve gotten more than a one-minute scene.
Ultimately, Twinless does an incredible job showing the longing we all have for connections. The imagery and performances really show off that theme wonderfully.
Rating: Loved It
Twinless is currently playing in theaters
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