James Sweeney and Dylan O’Brien turn in extremely compelling performances in one of the more underrated films of 2025
BY: JACOB POLITTE
Online Editor
“Twinless” is a film where one of its co-stars is the driving force of the entire production. James Sweeney (who plays Dennis) wrote the film, directed the film and produced the film. He also did this with his debut outing, 2019’s “Straight Up.” It’s safe to say that “Twinless” surpasses those efforts in almost every way (that’s not to say “Straight Up” wasn’t also a compelling offering).
The film, which premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival before its limited theatrical release and its digital release earlier this month, is a unique viewing experience. Initially, it’s presented as a story of two twins, Sweeney’s Dennis and Roman (actor Dylan O’Brien), who lost their brothers meeting and developing a friendship. But the movie pulls the curtain back and reveals that its premise is not quite what it seems.
The effectiveness of the movie’s twist relies heavily on it not being spoiled, so that won’t be discussed here. With that being said, “Twinless” is about so much more than that one twist. It’s a genuinely moving, genuinely heartwarming and deeply effective exploration on how grief brings people together and sometimes makes them tear apart. The movie does an effective job of making those smaller, humorous moments land, and also builds up the drama expertly until things explode. All of these elements together make the film’s muted ending feel earned and very much satisfying.
While the movie is Sweeney’s creation and a starring vehicle for him, it must be said that O’Brien turns in some absolutely stellar work as well. O’Brien plays his grief to the absolute hilt, making Roman feel exactly like the tortured lost soul many people can be while dealing with the grief of a sudden loss. Meanwhile, the other twin he plays, Rocky, is a completely different kind of character that O’Brien absolutely nails as well during his very limited time on screen.
With a small, but talented cast including the iconic Lauren Graham and Abbott Elementary’s Chris Perfetti, “Twinless” may just come across as some sort of indie flick. But it’s very much worth a view.
“Twinless” can now be streamed by rented and purchased on various platforms, including AppleTV+ and Amazon Prime Video.
