Twinless Review: A Dark Comedy on Love, Loss and Male Intimacy
Image: Image: Twinless
鈥淚f you鈥檙e going to hell- keep goin鈥欌��.聽
James Sweeney鈥檚聽Twinless聽follows two grieving men who meet in a support group for siblings who鈥檝e lost a twin.
The early-30s twin brothers Rocky and Roman (Dylan O鈥橞rien) could not be more different.
While Rocky is extroverted, flamboyant and possesses an unrelenting amount of self-assured charm, Roman is short-tempered, apolitical and would be the type to say 鈥榖ro鈥� in every second sentence. When Rocky dies, Roman sparks a connection with Dennis, who reminds him of his late brother. This bond becomes the catalyst for Sweeney鈥檚 complex exploration of how we deal with loss and the crisis of male intimacy.
Twinless聽considers themes of lying, guilt, and trauma bonding, capturing the messy and often contradictory ways that grief can manifest itself into our lives. As Roman and Dennis navigate their shared pain, their connection blurs the lines between healing and emotional manipulation.
Twinless: Grief Fracturing Identity
The film touches on the loss of shared identity, where grief can fracture one鈥檚 sense of self, and how, in their search for solace, they become entangled in each other鈥檚 emotional baggage.
Sweeney, who directed the film and plays Dennis, tells聽MovieMaker聽that he hopes audiences will empathise with Dennis, as people 鈥渁ren鈥檛 good or evil in a binary way鈥�. He also describes the act of forgiveness as so 鈥渦niquely human鈥�, adding, 鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the most complex but also profound acts that we can give to each other, but also to ourselves. It鈥檚 something I deeply believe鈥�.
In between the graphic gay sex, sharp comedic beats and occasional hyper-masculine violence,聽Twinless聽doesn鈥檛 shy away from exploring awkwardness, regrets and the raw realities of inescapable sadness.
Aisling Franciosi聽is also stand-out for her portrayal of Marcie, bringing warmth and kindness to the otherwise jilted pair of grieving men.
Twinless聽is a sharp, dark comedy that sensitively explores the black humour of grief, while also investigating the universal desire to be understood. The film serves as a caveat that the choices you make in the depths of grief don鈥檛 define who you are as a person.
鈽呪槄鈽呪槅鈽� (3/5) 鈥� Christine Lai
聽is playing at the聽State Theatre聽on Monday June 9 as part of the 2025 Sydney Film Festival (SFF).
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