Imagine losing your twin—your other half, your mirror. It’s a grief so profound it’s almost unimaginable. But what if a film tried to capture that pain, only to stumble on the very essence of what it means to be a twin? That’s where Twinless steps into controversial territory. This year’s standout film dives into themes of loneliness, identity, and forgiveness, but it’s the portrayal of twin dynamics that has one twin-turned-film-reviewer raising an eyebrow. And this is the part most people miss: twins aren’t just a Hollywood trope—they’re real people with complex, individual lives.
Twinless follows Roman and Dennis, two strangers who meet at a twin bereavement support group and form an unlikely bond as they grapple with life without their other half. Written, directed, and starring James Sweeney as Dennis, alongside Dylan O'Brien as Roman, the film has been praised for its emotional depth and unexpected twists. But for Montearo Brown, a film critic and twin who blogs as Sprite Lee, the movie hits close to home—sometimes a little too close.
‘At first, I was frustrated,’ Brown admits. ‘But as the film progressed, it won me over with its humor and heart.’ Yet, as a twin himself, he takes issue with how twin relationships are depicted. Lines like, ‘You’ve lost a twin, so you know what it’s like to be split,’ feel off to him. ‘Twins are compared from the moment they can walk and talk, but we’re still two separate people,’ Brown explains. ‘I know I’m my own person, but to the world, we’re often seen as a package deal.’ He recalls real-life questions like, ‘Do you think the same thing? If I punch you, does he feel it?’—a frustrating stereotype that Twinless doesn’t entirely avoid.
Here’s where it gets controversial: While the film doesn’t lean heavily on twin tropes, it still portrays twins as inseparable. Brown, however, moved from Birmingham, Alabama, to Sydney, Australia, while his twin pursued an opportunity in Germany. ‘It was time for us to part ways,’ he says. ‘Being apart didn’t make me lose my identity. I’m still me, and so is he.’ Brown argues that twins often struggle to assert their individuality, but not because they’re inseparable. ‘We’re not a ‘buy one, get one free’ deal,’ he says. ‘I’ve only met one set of twins who did everything together, and I’ve met a lot of twins.’
Despite his critiques, Brown loved the film, especially its blend of grief and humor. ‘The moments of sorrow are interrupted by impeccable comedic timing,’ he notes. ‘It’s an amazing film, just not what I expected.’
But here’s the question: Does Twinless accurately capture the twin experience, or does it fall into the trap of oversimplifying complex relationships? Brown’s take is clear: while the film is emotionally powerful, it misses the mark on what it means to be a twin. ‘Would I be devastated if something happened to my brother? Absolutely,’ he says. ‘But I wouldn’t lose myself.’
Twinless is now in cinemas, sparking conversations about grief, identity, and the bonds we share. What do you think? Does the film do justice to the twin experience, or does it rely too heavily on stereotypes? Let’s discuss in the comments.
