Cast: James Sweeney, Dylan O’Brien, Lauren Graham, Aisling Franciosi, Chris Perfetti

Written and Directed By: james Sweeney

Release Year: 2025

Studio: roadside Attractions

Runtime: 100 minutes

*Audio Description is available for this title. It was not available at the time of screening, but I intend on watching again, and will update*

What Is it?: It’s a film you should watch with as little information going in as possible. The film centers around Roman (Dylan O’Brien), who is a twin that is grieving the loss of his twin, and attends a support group for twins who are now without their twin. it is there that he meets Dennis (James Sweeney), and the two polar opposites become friends in grief. Roman, a slightly dim, overly masculine straight guy had a falling out with his gay other half, Rocky (Dylan O’Brien), and didn’t support his life necessarily the way he feels like he could have. perhaps that’s why he and Dennis, also gay, have a friendship that feels awkward, but yet rewarding. However, as Roman begins to date a co-worker of Denis, things become complicated.

What Works: All of it. This is one of my favorite films this year. I fell in love with this, from start to finish, and it didn’t even have audio description. When the rep reached out to me, I honestly just pushed for a second viewing with audio description knowing what was still coming this year, and all the awards I’m set to vote for. If I didn’t see this with audio description, that could be just the slight difference between a vote, and an honorable mention.

I had heard excellent things out of Sundance, and another blind critic, Alex Howard of The Dark room is already a fan of the film. It’s so easy to be a fan. Even though this isn’t sweeney’s debut as a writer/director, I wish it was. it certainly is the film that will garner him fans, and bring more attention to his next project. he has managed to tell an original story, and quite frankly, one that feels like it had been staring us in the face for years. how this wasn’t made thirty years ago is just a happenstance moment for Sweeney, since he now capitalizes on the originality of his script.

the film does feature flashbacks, so we see O’Brien play rocky, even though he is mostly Roman, and Rocky is dead from the beginning of the film. this is a career defining moment for O’Brien, who creates these two wildly different characters, and brings soul to each. we can see that rocky is happy and full of life, but we also see Roman struggling, and aimlessly walking in his brother’s footsteps, rather unintentionally. he ends up in his apartment, originally to pack it up, but later because it isn’t ready to sell. he ends up in his brother’s job. he isn’t his brother, but he’s walking in this path, which turns out to be a powerful path of growth for Roman.

Dylan O’Brien is worthy of an Oscar nomination.he has a scene with Dennis, allowing him to say things he wanted to say to rocky, that is devestating, and a perfect Oscar clip. I can see him being one of the five, and they play that scene, and suddenly everyone understands why the kid from Teen wolf and The Maze Runner was invited to the big show.n He’s stunning.

I also fell in love with Sweeney, who manages to craft a deeply complicated Dennis, and in spite of everything, you end up still rooting for him in the end. From start to finish, Dennis is a roller coaster, and even if he’s doing something you are naturally opposed to, Sweeney brings so much honesty to the role that you can’t help but sympathize. Even in the darkest, or worst moments, he still seems like a guy who has needed a hug and therapy for a long time.

Twinless is staggeringly good, the kind of film that stays with you. There isn’t a bad performance here, or a scene that doesn’t work. It is a perfectly composed magnum opus, and it is only james Sweeney’s sophomore effort.

I expect Twinless to be in the Oscar conversation on the outer rim. I think Sweeney may pick up a screenplay nomination, but I fully expect to see O’Brien pop up at either the Gotham awards or the Independent spirit Awards. he might even get an Astro nod, since the HCA is unlikely to get access to some late stage Oscar bait films. Can he go much higher? That depends on the fall crop, and the ability of roadside attractions to really push him. pamela Anderson got some mileage out of the Last Showgirl, so it is possible.

I’d be shocked if this film wasn’t in several spots on my year end list. Twinless is simply one of the best films of the year, and Dylan O’Brien gives the performance of his career.

Super Fresh: 9.2/10