Since its release at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, Dylan O’Brien’s film Twinless has been a topic of conversation. That conversation involves a celebration of the performances and of the narrative’s numerous twists and turns. With a film this surprising, it’s best to keep the synopsis as vague as possible. Twinless follows Roman (Dylan O’Brien), a man grieving the death of his twin, Rocky (also played by O’Brien). When he attends a support group for those who lost a twin, he meets Dennis (writer/director James Sweeney). The two strike up a friendship that feels promising until secrets begin to arise, threatening what they have built.
If you’re interested in learning about Twinless in a spoiler-free capacity, head over to EoM Contributor Blak Cinephile’s initial theatrical release review.
The real fun of Twinless stems from Sweeney’s screenplay. On its surface, Sweeney crafts a tender story about friendships and relationships. The dialogue has a quiet intimacy within every conversation. The friendship struck between Roman and Dennis feels genuine, heartfelt, and emotionally cathartic. O’Brien (Love and Monsters) and Sweeney (Straight Up) have a palpable chemistry that never feels manipulative. At 100 minutes, the film begins with a gradual buildup leading to twists that turn Twinless into a very different kind of film. The buildup makes what happens after it more effective than it would be without it. Within the twists, the film forces audiences to recontextualize everything they have seen up to that point. As soon as a viewer thinks they’ve peeled back the layers of the onion, another layer builds. A shift occurs taking the film from this relationship drama to something more poignant about loss. This shift will make or break audience expectations.
L-R: Dylan O’Brien as Roman and James Sweeney as Dennis in TWINLESS. Photo courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
O’Brien has garnered a loyal fan base from his time on the television show Teen Wolf (2011 – 2017) and The Maze Runner films. Such roles required him to serve as a titular heartthrob/action star with little additional depth. In Twinless, it’s easy to say O’Brien delivers the best work of his career. He makes both Roman and Rocky entirely their own, but gives each of them moments to make an impression. While Rocky’s time is limited, we, as an audience, clearly understand who this person is. It’s also easy to see why someone like Roman (the more emotionally reserved of the two) mourns for Rocky. Rocky existed as more than just Roman’s brother, he was a deep connection to a better version of himself. Allowing Roman to crave connection allows O’Brien to make the character feel truly human. Both roles place a lot of emotional demands on O’Brien, ranging from quiet to boisterous. He plays Roman as so reserved and alone that it makes his connection with Dennis even more meaningful.
Before Twinless, I was admittedly unfamiliar with James Sweeney as a writer, director, and actor. After viewing the film, being unfamiliar with Sweeney proved beneficial for this character. At the start of the film, Dennis exists in a place very similar to Roman’s. He’s mournful and sarcastic, using humor as a shield. It’s an obvious defense mechanism for the character to deal with his grief. Then, as certain revelations take light, the character’s previous actions take on new meaning. It makes Sweeney more than just a “quirky” co-lead, it makes him someone who is hiding behind an understandable facade. It’s particularly engaging in his interactions with key supporting characters.
One key supporting character would be Marcie, played by Aisling Franciosi (Speak No Evil). With a weaker screenplay, the film would make her nothing more than just a doting girlfriend and coworker. To some extent, that is true, until the film gives her room to become a more complex person. Franciosi gives the character a warmth and sincerity that feels so genuine. It’s an infectious performance that subverts the expectations of what one may expect from the genre. Not only is Franciosi just a captivating screen presence, Marcie comes across as effortlessly likable. While some may perceive her as “just the girlfriend,” her smile carries a purity that gives her humanity. With a film playing with the very conventions of friendships and relationships, the character and performance feel ahead of their time.
As a review of the Blu-Ray release, I hoped the film would be filled with special features. Unfortunately, Twinless is a bare-bones Blu-ray home release. The picture and audio quality are impressive, especially in relation to its indie rock score, creating a very personal experience for the viewer. Yet, aesthetically, it does feel subdued in its style. The film itself is a very obvious success within its ambitions, being funny, sad, and incredibly poignant. For fans who have already seen the film, purchasing this home release is a no-brainer. For those considering this a blind buy, it may be best to wait for a Blu-ray on sale.
L-R: Dylan O’Brien as Roman, Aisling Franciosi as Marcie, and James Sweeney as Dennis in in TWINLESS. Photo courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
Twinless is one of the more moving and surprising films released in 2026. The performances are universally strong, packed with rich nuance. Director/writer James Sweeney clearly feels passionate about this story, allowing the performances to make an impact. As a director, Sweeney has an assured vision focused on his actors. This allows the performers room to explore the themes he wants to convey, without ever making them feel showy. The focus on developing these characters makes each performance feel substantive, adding to the story’s depth. Even with an occasionally cheap visual aesthetic, it’s hard to ignore the effectiveness of this sophomore feature. In fact, Twinless exists as one of the better original films I’ve seen in quite some time.
No bonus features are included with this release.
Available on digital October 3rd, 2025.
Available on Blu-ray May 12th, 2026.
For more information, head to the official Twinless website.
Share this:
Categories: Films To Watch, Home Release, Home Video, Recommendation, Reviews, streaming
Leave a Reply