Review of The Skeleton Twins (2014) by Harry W — 24 Sep 2014

Although it seemed like a rather familiar film, with a talented duo of leads lined up, The Skeleton Twins sounded like a quaint comedy drama.

The Skeleton Twins surprised me because it entertained me in ways that I did not really expect. Admittedly it was far from perfect, but it had enough positive elements to stand up and make it a good film. It wasn't as funny as I expected because it was a lot more focused on drama than it was on comedy. But even though it wasn't the funniest film, it still made me laugh and entertained me. The one main flaw I found in the film was a key plot point which made me question the internal logic of the characters.

In The Skeleton Twins, it is explained that the titular twins Maggie and Milo have grown apart due to a ten year absence and the film depicts them re-establishing their relationship and developing as a part of it. But there was one thing always bugging me about the story. This means that Milo has missed out on the wedding between Maggie and Lance, and there is one central reason that this bugged me. There is one scene The Skeleton Twins which depicts Maggie and Milo having dinner with the mother they both loathe, particularly Maggie who is upset that she skipped out on the aforementioned wedding. It does not however seem to bother Maggie that Milo did not attend it himself, or even that he never bothered to contact her. There is no exploration of why Maggie and Milo stopped talking for 10 years, which really makes you wonder "why did they stop contacting each other?". If they were just running from the past and trying to live out their own lives then that is lightly implied, but if it bothers Maggie so much that her mother whom she had a troubled relationship with skipped out on her own wedding then it should bother her similarly that the twin brother she shared a lot with did not attend. It seemed like there was a large plot hole in The Skeleton Twins that it just brushed over and did not attempt to clarify, and while I enjoyed the film it bugged me the entire time.

The Skeleton Twins remains a film more important for its characters than for its plot. The thing I liked about The Skeleton Twins was the fact that it took the perspective of two characters usually played off as victims or antagonists in other films and reduced to supporting roles. Thanks to Craig Johnson's fine direction, the material in the film is able to balance walking the line between giving even focus to both Milo and Maggie, a suicidal victim of statutory rape attempting to re-establish a relationship with the reluctant rapist and a woman with a compulsive need to cheat on her husband and inability to be honest with him. These characters are both technically the bad guys in the story to a mild extent in particular the latter, but the film easily has us sympathising with them throughout the story because the emotional drama of the film is thoroughly touching and edgy. It deals with the concepts of suicide and emotional trauma in such a firm way which involves a touch of light humour as well, giving the film an appropriate atmosphere. Everything is explored well through an insightful screenplay which fuels the film with great characters and some interesting concepts. The pure simplicity and character focus of The Skeleton Twins was what made it so easy to watch even when a lot of the material is hard hitting, and one moment in particular which was great featured Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig miming the lyrics to the song "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" which was hilarious and full of comic spirit.

And due to the simplistic nature of the Skeleton Twins, all the importance of the film is meant to be tied together by the cast. It is no surprise just how successful they are.

Bill Hader is the standout in The Skeleton Twins. In the role of suicidal homosexual Milo, Bill Hader keeps his flamboyance present but subtle so that audiences are constantly reminded of his sexuality in minor ways without defining him solely on the basis of that one aspect. He plays it off in a charming way and delivers every line of his with either serious dramatic tension or clever comic charisma. He makes Milo a likable lead every step of the way and has audiences with their eyes locked on him due to the way that he engages with the character so consistently both physically and emotionally. Bill Hader is so deeply involved in his role that it proves to be his best performance to date, and so he carries his portion of the story with incredible acting strength from start to finish.

Kristen Wiig is also excellent. She brings her natural archetype to the role which allows her to engage with the comic undertones of the film easily, but more importantly she shows her dramatic flair once again. She has a certain sense of melancholic stoicism in her part which projects some sense of emotional trouble, and she is able to project that while keeping her emotions clearly restrained. Kristen Wiig is spot on in her part because audiences are able to really care about her even as she says and does very selfish and egotistical things, and the quality of the chemistry that she shares with Bill Hader is excellently intense and emotionally affecting. Kristen Wiig's dedication to character shines in The Skeleton Twins.

And Luke Wilson gives one of his best performances in years. While he is known for portraying a socially awkward and neurotic type of character in many comedy films of the 2000's, he defies that in The Skeleton Twins and takes on the part of a very extroverted and outgoing man who tries his hardest to be the best to everyone. And it works flawlessly. There is not a single moment in The Skeleton Twins where Luke Wilson is not likable, not one moment where he is anything but friendly or funny. And so it is very easy to establish a connection to him in the process. Luke Wilson is so damn likable in The Skeleton Twins that it is perfect, and so when his character has to suffer due to the negative actions of his wife the audience feels a lot of sympathy for him, so he is a seriously genial presence.

Joanna Gleeson's small role was also a nice touch.

So although The Skeleton Twins has some plot holes and is more drama than comedy, it is an edgy and touching film with a strong screenplay, firm direction and an excellent cast.