Twinless (now available for streaming on Hulu) is a captivating and thought-provoking film well worth your time. I mention this upfront because James Sweeney’s sophomore directorial piece is best experienced with fresh eyes. Even a spoiler-sensitive review like this one might unintentionally reveal some of the film’s unexpected twists. It’s quite unusual for a Sundance indie dramedy, especially one that clinches the Audience Award, to deliver surprises akin to major plot twists in blockbuster films. Thus, I’ll tread carefully, suggesting that movie reviews can be equally enjoyable to read after watching the film.

TWINLESS: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT? 

Overview: Roman, portrayed by Dylan O’Brien, faces an existential crisis when he finds only one Pop Tart in a package meant for two—symbolizing his life without his identical twin. The film opens in Portland, Oregon, with the sound of screeching tires and a crash marking the untimely death of his twin, Rocky. At Rocky’s funeral, Roman stands amidst the mourners, who struggle with the presence of his living face, so similar to the one they’ve lost. An argument with his mother, Lisa (played by Lauren Graham), highlights their mutual need for help, a sentiment that resonates deeply.

Roman seeks solace in a support group for “singletons.” Despite the terrible cookies and awkward interactions, there’s a glimmer of hope. An awkward yet intriguing connection forms when Dennis (played by Sweeney) engages Roman in conversation. They bond over their shared discomfort, even as Dennis confirms the cookies’ poor taste. Roman’s desperate need for understanding finds a companion in Dennis as they share mundane activities, from grocery shopping to attempting to converse with mouths full of marshmallows. Roman confides in Dennis about his last conversation with Rocky, a trivial chat about socks, underscoring their complex and close relationship. Despite their differences, Dennis understands Roman’s emotional turmoil.

The film, roughly 20 minutes in, displays its title card over a 100-minute runtime, hinting at its departure from conventional storytelling. Through flashbacks, perspective shifts, and split screens, we witness Roman and Dennis’s evolving friendship. In one scene, Roman defends Dennis against homophobic insults, leading to a raw moment where Roman, urged by Dennis to treat him as Rocky, breaks down. The story introduces Marcie (Aisling Franciosi), Dennis’s sweet-natured coworker, who charms Roman, sparking a romance that leaves Dennis with an ambiguous expression—is it envy or something else entirely? Marcie’s ever-present smile, even in sadness, shrinks slightly, adding depth to her character. As tensions rise, the film builds towards a moment where the emotional band-aid must be torn off, revealing the raw truth beneath.

Comparative Films: The film brings to mind Julio Torres’ Problemista, which also plays with the conventions of quirky indie dramedies, albeit with a style some might find challenging.

Performance Worth Watching: O’Brien is best known as The Guy From The Maze Runner Movies, so it’s perhaps surprising to see him show such versatility and complexity as the grieving Roman – and as Rocky, in the aforementioned flashbacks.

Sex And Skin: A handful of sex scenes, some getting an 8/10 on the scale o’ graphicness.

Our Take: Some will laud Twinless for its creative visual acumen and/or its unpredictability, but its true triumph is how Sweeney trafficks almost exclusively in emotions so complex, they require multi-hyphenated descriptions because traditional descriptors for them simply don’t exist. Which is to say that Roman and Dennis are really going through it. They can’t label or identify what they’re feeling. It’s a state of confusion and near-stasis, and they’re trying to cope and move on as the world keeps turning, relying on each other for something as simple as base companionship, because it’s the only thing that seems to make sense right now. 

Also admirable is how Sweeney takes all the conventions of a quirky indie Sundance (Audience Award winning) dramedy and roughs it up with coarse sandpaper. He toys with stereotypes, positing his own physically willowy character as someone who’s needy and impenetrable and conflicted and selfish and therefore incredibly difficult to love or even like a little bit, therefore prompting us to root for the kinda-dumb normie who refers to himself as “maybe not the brightest tool in the shed” and has a troubling capacity for sudden bursts of violence and a girlfriend who loves Olive Garden. That Marcie uses the word “Prii” as plural for Prius yet doesn’t inspire us to want to punch her is representative of the film’s rich complexities – she makes up for it by being wide-eyed, endlessly sweet and supportive, wise beyond her years. 

The result is a prickly, narratively challenging film that never lets us settle into a comfortable groove. That, as they say, is a good thing. Maybe a great thing, even. Sweeney shows little interest in talking down to us or comforting us, perhaps a reminder that problems are endured or managed far more often than they’re solved. The filmmaker’s skewed sense of humor draws a few big laughs and a few more uncomfortable ones, pushing Twinless into the realm of dark comedy. It’s quietly ambitious, and as off-putting as it is emotionally effective, something we rarely see in films.

Our Call: Twinless is enough of a rollercoaster that you feel like you’re still on it the day after you watch it. It clung to me like a shroud. It’s not immediately likable, but the more you ponder, the greater its status in the mind. STREAM IT.

John Serba is a freelance film critic from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Werner Herzog hugged him once.