Twinless Review: A Dark Comedy That Doesn’t Treat Grief Like a Lesson

Twinless starts with a premise that could’ve become Sundance filler in less careful hands. Two men meet in a twin bereavement support group, form an unlikely friendship, and stumble towards healing. Instead, writer-director James Sweeney turns that setup into something more jagged and personal. It’s funny in a way that catches in your throat, and it refuses to sand down the ugly bits of loneliness.

The basics. Roman (Dylan O’Brien) and Dennis (Sweeney) bond quickly as they search for an identity without their “other half”. They become inseparable until old wounds reopen and the friendship begins to show its cracks. Twinless hits UK and Irish cinemas on 6 February 2026.

Twinless is disarmingly funny, then quietly brutal, then funny again like it didn’t just hit you with that.

What Twinless Gets Right Is The Awkward Stuff

Sweeney understands that grief doesn’t arrive as a tidy little character arc. It shows up as bad decisions. It shows up as clinginess. It shows up in all the ways you don’t want it to, because there really is no right way to grieve.

Twinless lets its characters be embarrassing and complicated without treating them like a punchline. It’s not interested in inspirational speeches. It’s interested in the small, weird ways people try to survive themselves, then accidentally drag someone else into it.

Dylan O’Brien Is The Engine Here

Roman is written as someone who looks uncomplicated from the outside. Friendly. A bit dopey. Maybe a little dangerous if you push him. O’Brien plays all of that at once, and that’s the trick. He doesn’t chase the easy laugh, and he doesn’t soften Roman into something palatable. You can see the heartbreak bubbling under the surface even when Roman’s being charming.

It makes sense that this is the performance people keep circling. Twinless gives O’Brien room to be funny, bruised, and unpredictable in the same scene, and he never drops the emotional thread.

It’s Also A Film With A Proper Sense Of Craft

Twinless has a deliberate visual mood, and that matters because the story is constantly balancing comfort and menace.

One critic described the Portland setting as shot in “lovely chiaroscuro”, lulling and unsettling at the same time, and that’s a useful way to frame the film’s vibe without giving anything away. The score is by Jung Jae-il, and it leans into aching strings and wistful piano rather than telegraphing emotions like a neon sign.

A Queer Story That Trusts You To Keep Up

Twinless also avoids a trap that a lot of queer films fall into. It doesn’t stop to lecture. It doesn’t translate every piece of vernacular for the imagined straight audience. It trusts you to read the room and sit with discomfort. Use your brain. Use context clues. You’ll figure it out.

That trust makes the film feel more specific and more honest, even when it’s being outrageous.

Verdict

Twinless is the rare dark comedy that commits. It doesn’t use grief as a gimmick, and it doesn’t tidy its characters up for the sake of making them likable. It’s messy, funny, and sharp-edged, anchored by a memorable performance from Dylan O’Brien.

If you like your comedy neat and comforting, this won’t be your thing. If you like a film that makes you laugh and then immediately question why you laughed, put it on your list.

Twinless opens in UK and Irish cinemas on 6 February 2026. 

Official Trailer

Twinless | UK & Ireland Official Trailer | Park Circus – In Cinemas 6 FebruaryPlays from YouTube

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