The Skeleton Twins movie review

Article by Gabe Zia

Lazy Film Critic reviews....

The Skeleton Twins is a drama/comedy (or a dramedy if you prefer that term) about two estranged twins who decide to hang out for a week after nearly ten-ish years or so of not seeing each other. The film stars Bill Hader, Kristen Wigg, Luke Wilson, and Ty Burrell. It's directed by Craig Johnson, who also directed a film called "True Adolescents", a film way more people should have seen.

Bill Hader in The Skeleton Twins

Seeing as how this film stars mostly SNL cast members, I wasn't going into this film expecting oscar worthy performances. However, to my surprise, oscar worthy is probably the best way to describe some of the performances shown here. Mainly for Bill Hader here, this is a revelation for him. He's compelling, he plays the character amazingly well, and has some pretty emotional moments which he executes perfectly. Kristen Wigg and Luke Wilson were also pretty good in the film, but seriously though, Bill Hader is incredible in this movie.

Kristen Wig & Luke Wilson in The Skeleton Twins

As well as really strong performances, this movie also sports a fantastic script. The story, the dialogue, and the characters all feel incredibly real, and it never shakes that illusion of feeling real. The way these characters talk to each other and act around each other all feels not just incredibly real, but also works for the comedy in this film. Much like 50/50, this film has an effective way of switching back and forth between comedy and drama, and feels completely seamless.

On the topic of comedy and drama, The Skeleton Twins has a lot of both. In some moments, this film is absolutely hilarious. In other moments, this film is downright depressing, as in to your core depressing. The topic of depression and suicidal thoughts comes up a lot in the film, and is done really well. Unlike so many other films to try and tackle these topics, this film never overdoes it, and manages to deliver a simple yet effective message.

Final Rating
The Skeleton Twins is at times hilarious, and at other times incredibly sad. The cast mostly does a really good job, mainly Bill Hader (who should totally be nominated for an oscar for this movie). I'd say you should try and see this film, even if its kind of depressing (which may not be everyone's thing).

The Skeleton Twins: 4/5