Finding compatible companions – let alone good friends or romantic prospects – seems to have become considerably more problematic than it once was. Such kindreds appear to be more elusive nowadays, and forging meaningful, lasting connections with them – for whatever reason – has become fundamentally more difficult, sometimes driving us to great lengths and even acts of desperation. That can be especially true for those in communities that fall outside the mainstream, as well as those grieving the passage of loved ones who are having trouble recovering from their losses. And now, in this latest offering from actor-writer-director James Sweeney, audiences get an opportunity to witness these dynamics play out firsthand in an unlikely but affecting, heart-tugging scenario. When Roman (Dylan O’Brien) and Dennis (Sweeney) each lose their identical twin siblings, both seek comfort in the company of a support group for those similarly situated. Before long, their chance meeting leads to the development of a close friendship, one that seems to fill the void left by the deaths of their siblings. In addition to becoming pals, Dennis and Roman also provide encouragement and solace for one another as they work through the pain of loss. But, despite the relationship that emerges between them, something doesn’t feel quite … right. As background details begin to surface, matters don’t add up as thought, even though this has nothing to do with such things as the basic differences that exist between them (Dennis is gay but Roman is not, even though his late twin brother, Rocky, was). So what exactly is going on here? To say more would reveal too much, but suffice it to say that intriguing developments wait in the wings. And these revelations are very much tied to the considerations discussed at the outset above. In many ways, “Twinless” represents a continuation of themes the filmmaker first explored in “Straight Up” (2019), an examination of the loneliness and search for connection that many of us are looking for these days, particularly among those who belong to constituencies that feel inherently marginalized. Like its predecessor, this engaging comedy-drama accomplishes that goal through a cleverly constructed, intelligently crafted narrative that follows an intriguing and entertaining path in unwinding its story, one filled with gentle though occasionally chancy humor, touching moments (without becoming mawkish, manipulative or clichéd), inventive yet credible plot twists, and honest, hard-earned insights. Ultimately this offering may not provide definitive answers to all the questions it poses, but it nevertheless serves up clues about how we may have arrived at where we’re at, as well as possible strategies for working through our sorrows and loneliness and how to move past them so that we don’t feel quite as isolated going forward.
