Movie Review: The Skeleton Twins

To clear up any genre-confusion regarding The Skeleton Twins, it is a weighty drama which happens to feature funny actors. The film, which stars Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader, follows two estranged siblings who try to reconnect after one attempts suicide. Twins has the feel of many indie projects. It’s emotional, raw and aims to say something real about life and its relationships. Occasionally, the cinematography tries a bit too hard, but, by and large, its narrative feels authentic.

Maggie (Wiig) and Milo (Hader) are two dysfunctional siblings dealing with the repercussions of growing up in an even more dysfunctional family. Both characters are desperately struggling for a sense of self and a feeling of purpose. The film tries to remind its audience that we all are struggling with this. This is where Twins really connects: by showing real people—two sincerely effed up people. Maggie loves and is loved. She is sincerely depressed but ultimately functional. Her dead-pan brother is gay, also depressed and deeply insecure, but, like his sister, is deeply emotionally invested in his relationships. They’re quirky and intriguing but not outside the reasonable realm of reality. Aside from one accidentally ironic scene where Hader, a comedy powerhouse, discusses his character’s disappointment at not being a famous actor, the meaningful moments have impact.

Wiig and Hader’s star power did catch up with them in a few inopportune ways. Both are known for their incredible character work, mostly from Saturday Night Live. The people they portray in that setting are larger than life and completely hilarious. These two are improv pros. And there are times in Twins when the audience can feel that improv picking up and the script playing second fiddle. Those scenes are funny, but the audience laughs because, at that moment, they’re seeing Wiig and Hader be silly more than they are seeing Maggie and Milo bond. Fortunately, both actions are portrayed, and the off-screen chemistry helps makes the sibling connection all the more believable. However, laughing at these hilarious actors and not at their characters takes the viewer out of the story ever so slightly.

A certain supporting character cannot not go unmentioned, as Luke Wilson may be the best part of this film. He plays Lance, Maggie’s ever-optimistic husband. Good-natured to a fault, Lance provides not only an honest vulnerability that can break your heart, but also delivers some of the most hilarious and earnest one-liners.

The other side players are Rich (Ty Burrell), the sexually curious older man who has a sordid history with Milo, and Billy (Boyd Holbrook), the hot scuba instructor, who may provide Maggie a sordid future. It’s an undeniably talented cast who gives a praiseworthy performance, but the story should be applauded for its characters and not their journey. The end feels too neat and its momentum lags throughout the film. The Skeleton Twins has great moments, but only makes for a good film.