Writer/director James Sweeney‘s “Twinless” made headlines at Sundance earlier this year when pirated scenes from the queer dark comedy leaked on social media off the festival’s online platform. But don’t let those headlines — and IndieWire wrote one of them — lead you to think that’s the most shocking twist related to one of the festival’s most delightfully screwed-up and mordantly funny movies.
It’s led by viral “Ponyboi” and “Teen Wolf” star Dylan O’Brien in a decidedly grown-up role — two, actually — here as grieving brother Roman, who’s lost his twin Rocky (also O’Brien) in a freak accident. But he gets a potential new brother, played by Sweeney himself as a calculating and dry-witted twink who may have something to do with Rocky’s sudden death. Especially after an ill-fated hookup.
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Just because it’s been a while since we’ve seen the film, here’s the official synopsis for a refresher: “In ‘Twinless,’ two young men meet in a twin support group and form an unlikely friendship. Roman (Dylan O’Brien) and Dennis (James Sweeney) both search for solace and an identity without their other halves and soon become inseparable outside the group. But when Roman meets Dennis’ ebullient co-worker, Marcie (Aisling Franciosi), all is revealed to be not what it seems, as each man harbors secrets that could unravel everything.”
“Twinless” is Sweeney’s second feature behind the camera after writing and directing 2019’s “Straight Up.” As IndieWire’s David Ehrlich wrote in his Sundance review, “James Sweeney levels up with this confident and extremely clever story about two boys who meet in a support group for siblings who’ve lost a twin.” Indeed, the movie elicited cheers, laughs, shocks, and gasps when it premiered at the Eccles Theatre at Sundance in January.
“James Sweeney’s ‘Twinless’ is a film that hinges on the suppleness of the stories we tell about ourselves (among several other things), and this confident, clever, and cuttingly dark comedy almost never misses a chance to indulge in the courage of its convictions, especially when those convictions feel oh so wrong,” our review added.
Lauren Graham, Tasha Smith, Chris Perfetti, and François Arnaud also star in the film, produced by David Permut, James Sweeney, and Alex Astrachan. Dylan O’Brien is also an executive producer on the film, which went viral during Sundance for sex scenes featuring the star. But don’t let that alone sell you on the movie, which just released a trailer, below.
Roadside Attractions releases “Twinless” in theaters on September 5. Watch the trailer below.
