TWINLESS

Rating 4.5 out of 5

Twinless is a one of a kind film that explores grief, loss and friendship in a profound and meaningful way thanks to writer and director James Sweeney’s excellent screenplay that is brought to life by the undeniable and electrifying bromance between himself and Dylan O’Brien.

Grief affects people in different ways, which provides storytellers with lots of rich material to work with when creating a film about death and loss. And in only his second feature film, writer and director James Sweeney works magic as he spins the story about two young men who meet in a support group for twins whose twins have died in Twinless. While the premise of the film makes it sound like heart mending bromantic comedy, the film is so much more as Sweeney explores what grief, love and self-image and how it drives individuals, in an emotionally resonant way that hits all of its mark. Combined with great performances, including a phenomenal lead performance from Dylan O’Brien that remains one of the best leading performances of 2025, it’s safe to say that Sweeney has crafted an excellent film that is going to connect with audiences. 

Processing the death of a loved one is no easy task, but processing the death of a twin that you have shared an unspeakable connection with your entire life and trying to reconcile that this part of you that has been a constant in your life is no more; that pain is unimaginable. That idea is the launching point of Sweeney’s second feature film that follows O’Brien’s Roman whose twin brother Rocky has just died, and the connection he forms with Dennis, another twin grieving the loss of his twin brother, after meeting at a twin bereavement group. The script is incredibly smart, balancing great dark humour with a raw emotional exploration of grief with incredibly sharp dialogue that will have you laughing out loud and cutting you emotionally, resulting in a film that undeniably tugs on your heartstrings while keeping an uplifting tone despite the darker subject matter of the film. Never playing it safe, Sweeney mixes multiple genres into the story, at times playing with bromantic comedy and romantic comedy beats, at the same time as a stirring drama exploring loss and the different tolls it takes on individuals, while being influenced by the psychological thrillers of Brian de Palma and 2017’s Ingrid Goes West. It’s an ambitious endeavour, and if you are able to accept the jarring plot development that creates a far different  film than the synopsis teases that is at times insidious, Sweeney more than sticks the landing and cements himself as one of the most exciting up and coming independent filmmakers. 

Though, without question it is the performances that are the highlight of Twinless. Sweeney seamlessly captures the intensity, jealousy and toxicity of Dennis with an earnestness that makes you both feel for his character while also disturbed by the lengths his character will go to to feel accepted. Lauren Graham wallows in the sorrow of her character Lisa, processing the unthinkable on screen: the death of a child, helping to create one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking moments of the film alongside Sweeney as her character finally opens up about the pain of losing a child. Stealing the film in almost scene she is in is Aisling Franciosi as Marcie with her bubbly and at first glance almost aloofness, but as the film progresses, Franciosi proves Marcie to be a highly intelligent and caring character that helps both Roman and Dennis overcome their personal struggles. It’s a spectacular performance from Franciosi that gives her a very different role outside of her largely dark roles she had before, in which she is unrecognizable in the best way imaginable, showcasing a new side to her as a performer and cementing herself as one talented actress.

But this is O’Brien’s film, who delivers an astonishing performance as Roman. While he has a short amount of time as Rocky, Roman’s gay twin, the heartbreak and vulnerability that O’Brien creates within is raw and creates the grief of the film. Struggling to come to terms with Rocky' s passing and the rage that is bubbling within him as a result, O’Brien stuns with the range of emotion in his performance that truly showcases his talents as an actor, creating a beautiful portrayal of this gullible young man trying to regain his footing in life. It’s the role that has been long overdue for O’Brien’s career that allows him to give the best performance of his career to date. As a pairing, O’Brien and Sweeney create magic on screen with their infectious bromantic comedy that captures the special bond between their characters as Roman finds a surrogate to miss the twin he is missing so much. From the hilarious banter back and forth between them as Dennis points out Roman is not the sharpest tool in the shed, or the more emotional moments between them as Roman unpacks his grief, O’Brien and Sweeney are a powerhouse pairing that you will want to be seeing again on screen.

Beyond the writing and performances, Sweeney also does a great job at directing and honing the technical aspects of Twinless. The cinematography is intriguing, utilizing lots of cool mirror shots that echoes the duality of Dennis’s character, split screen and split diopter shots that visually evokes the duality of twins between Roman and Dennis and echoes what they are missing in life, as well as the striking use of colour and shadow in the art exhibit scene which all work together to create a film you can get lost in. While light on needle drops, the few that the songs that Sweeney includes such as HAIM’s “Leaning on You” and Jennifer Paige’s “Crush” hit hard to encapsulate the emotion of their scenes; and Jung Jae-il’s musical score captures the tone and weight of Sweeney’s screenplay effortlessly in each scene.   

Mixing sharp dark comedy and a heartfelt story of grief, acceptance and friendship, you have not seen anything like James Sweeney’s Twinless before, and I doubt you ever will again. Walking the tightrope between dark comedy and an emotionally charged drama that is constantly tugging on the heart strings, and never wavering in his dedication to both tones, James Sweeney has crafted a beautiful film that speaks to the overwhelming grief that encompasses individuals after losing a loved one in a unique situation while straddling multiple genres. Led by a career best performance from Dylan O’Brien, the off the charts bromantic chemistry of Dyaln O’Brien and James Sweeney, and an excellent supporting turns from Aisling Franciosi and Lauren Graham, Twinless is both a wildly entertaining comedy that has some truly dark but laugh out loud moments and a complex and moving exploration of grief that makes for one absolute knockout film from writer director James Sweeney.