Upon its debut at the Sundance Film Festival, Twinless set the internet ablaze when fans recorded pivotal scenes and made it go viral. Subsequently, the film was yanked from the festival’s digital offering before further copyright infringement could occur. Finally getting a chance to experience this unique dark dramedy months removed from that aggravating snafu, it’s no wonder people were so obsessed. Twinless presents a double dose of uber-twunk Dylan O’Brien (Teen Wolf, The Maze Runner) in a way we have yet to see from his varied filmography. Opposite O’Brien, writer/director/co-lead actor James Sweeney makes for a fascinating screen partner, a tether for this story of perspectives. Emotionally riveting, sexually charged, and laugh-out-loud funny, queer Twinless explodes with the raw energy of grief and two phenomenal performances at its core.
Tragedy can strike at any time, cutting short a life of infinite possibilities. In the case of Twinless, the horrific incident that kills Rocky (O’Brien) occurs just offscreen in the opening minute. We do not see any of it, but rather hear it all. A flash cut to a funeral tells us the grim reality. As twin Roman (also O’Brien) and his devastated mother (Lauren Graham, Gilmore Girls, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist) grieve the loss of Rocky, the first bits of a trademark sardonic humor begin to creep out. Those who embrace Roman cannot even keep it together through sobs, calling him a ghost. When it comes time to go through Rocky’s belongings, Roman insists he can handle it all on his own. To cope with sleepless nights, Roman starts attending a twin bereavement support group.
At this most unlikely of places, Roman will meet his new best friend, the quirky and sarcastic Dennis (Sweeney). Only Dennis can directly relate to how Roman feels, as if a part of him has been split in two. Perhaps Roman is so drawn to Dennis as it correlates to his late brother’s sexuality—if anything, he comes across as quite an ally. Before either of them grasp it, they are engaging in deep diner chats, shopping for groceries together, and even going to the gym. Through their dialogue, Sweeney establishes a deep connection, a true friendship that always feels genuine. These are two people who have been deeply wounded by circumstances out of their control, who latch onto one another when no one else can understand their misery.
A serious shift happens going into the second act that recontextualizes all we know about that relationship. This seismic change allows for O’Brien to play the other twin. Where a lesser film would pigeonhole him into a gay stereotype, Rocky has the depth—and graphic sexual encounter—of a main character. As Rocky, O’Brien takes on completely different body language, accent, and personality. These are two very distinctly different twins, yet they also have so many similarities. The impact of Rocky’s death calls for a reexamination of the twins’ bond and subsequent rift. Can Roman find a way to live on past his twin, the favorite?
As a reverse of Rocky, Roman is fiery and impulsive. His anger constantly bubbles to the surface. If it feels like Roman avoids his feelings, the eventual release of them calls for O’Brien to mine the depths of his range for a striking emotional tsunami. That sequence, one which starts out simply enough with Dennis and Roman on separate hotel beds, drove me to tears. Even amongst the sharpness of the dark comedy, the room for intimate character moments remains. Two under-the-covers chats are among the richest in their openness. The sex scenes are displayed in a similarly frank manner, still sure to carry over the blunt humor.
A secret threatens to tear Roman and Dennis apart for good. Roman gets closer to having a real girlfriend in Dennis’s coworker, Marcie (Aisling Franciosi, Stopmotion, Speak No Evil), and the jealousy starts to make Dennis even pricklier than usual. Sweeney doesn’t exactly make Dennis a likable character, certainly not when the bigger picture is concerned. However, he does not paint Dennis as a truly evil caricature. Instead, he’s a complex individual going through his own swirling grief. Among decisions he makes that are clearly morally wrong, Dennis still has a sympathetic way about him. An outsider in the truest sense of the word, Dennis appears to have a different version of himself that pops out depending on who he speaks with. Sweeney still finds a way to endear him to the audience, or at least to properly frame his very poor decision-making skills.
Sweeney also makes his debut feature a kaleidoscope of interesting visuals, including Sims costumes at a costume party, an immersive experience with a third wheel, hilariously unconventional sex scenes, and split screen juxtapositions of two awkward parallel moments. His film is not just so good because of its narrative staying power, but also due to a genuine relatability in the story. The feeling of grief often hurts to navigate, and with the help of others it becomes just a little bit less lonely. Can there be anything more universal than the concept of a true friend, a soul who understands you even more than you understand yourself? Through an obsession with the Olsen Twins and flawed characters, Twinless evolves into a timeless portrait of processing loss.
Twinless screened at 2025’s Tribeca International Film Festival, and arrives in theatres on Friday, September 5th.
