Although the independent film "Twinless" was released in theaters in September 2025, it was only released in selected theaters at that time. Thank goodness for the streaming platform Hulu which released the film in January this year. And when I watched this film in late January, I thought, “I have to write about this one to help spread the word.”
"Twinless" is an off-beat, slightly morbid comedy about a 30-something man named Roman (Dylan O'Brien, "Saturday Night," 2024) who struggles with anger and depression after his identical twin brother dies unexpectedly. In an attempt to move through his grieving, Roman joins a support group exclusively for surviving twins who have lost their identical sibling. And like you might expect, Roman connects with another bereaved twin in the support group named Dennis (James Sweeney, "Straight Up," 2019), possibly sparking a new friendship.
(In case you’re wondering, such support groups for grieving identical twins do exist in real life.)
Dennis is played by actor James Sweeney who also wrote, directed, and co-produced this film. Before "Twinless," Mr. Sweeney also wrote, directed, and starred in the delightfully awkward comedy "Straight Up" (2019). This filmmaker is gradually building a uniquely current voice exploring unconventional relationships in today’s world similar to other independent films like "Your Sister’s Sister" (2011) and "Passages" (2023).
"Twinless" starts out as a quietly weary, oddly funny buddy film. One man is gay, one man is straight, and they don’t seem to have anything in common. But through their similar grief, they find comfort in each other’s companionship. Their bond is unlikely, but it’s uplifting too. If this was the entirety of "Twinless," it would be boring, worn out, and sappy. But it takes a surprising turn almost halfway through, pushing the bumbling comic friendship into a dark psychological drama.
When this lighthearted mood turns dark, I could not wait to see more. It gives "Twinless" a disguised nefarious edge. At first look, this film is a hopeful portrait of grief. But the longer it unfolds in its 1 hour 40 minute run time, the more it becomes a stark representation of contemporary loneliness and the dishonesty, desperation, and obsession it creates. 'Twinless" is also an unapologetic representation of contemporary gay life with increasingly casual hookups, rejections, and jealousies.
This theme of loneliness makes "Twinless" all too relatable for audiences now, especially for young audiences. And with James Sweeney’s self-deprecating, rhythmic, sassy dialogue, this film about loneliness has humor and heart. Everyone who watches this film will smile at the end and consider the friends of their past and present.
After the closing credits rolled, I kept thinking, “How do we preserve our happiness and belonging in the midst of its daily erosion?” "Twinless" gives us a freshly personal answer to this question with grocery shopping, annoying coworkers, and a tempting foot massage mixed in.
The icing on the cake of this film is Dylan O’Brien’s leading performance. I’ve never taken him seriously as a movie actor after films like "The Maze Runner" (2014) and "Love and Monsters" (2020). But "Twinless" proves Dylan O’Brien has the range to be heartbreaking and vulnerable as well as funny and clumsy. I’m so glad I have seen this film, and I hope you feel this way too.
