The Skeleton Twins

The trend for movies has shifted lately. With depressing dramas crowding movie screens all across the festival circuit, films like Hellion, Blue Ruin, God’s Pocket and Cold in July are all recent examples of this phenomena taking over the 2014 Sundance lineup. There’s generally a sigh of relief upon entering screenings for comedies, especially one starring Saturday Night Live stars Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader. However, even a laugh-fest such as Craig Johnson’s The Skeleton Twins carries a dark and gloomy tone from joke to joke. At this point, I guess we should just expect it.

A terrible set of circumstances brings together twin siblings Milo (played by Bill Hader) and Maggie (Kristen Wiig) after a decade apart. The reunion forces both of them to re-examine their lives and confront their problems, no matter the cost.

At its core The Skeleton Twins never feels like groundbreaking material. However, this murky self-loathing drama whisks along nicely thanks to genuine heartfelt performances from a pair of comedians turned “serious” actors. Bill Hader is given more face time than his counterpart, but Kristen Wiig is equally as effective. With over seven years together on SNL, the onscreen chemistry between these two stars is simply remarkable and their voyage into dramatic acting goes without a hitch. Another welcome surprise is the direction of Craig Johnson. During a long and hysterical lip-syncing rendition of Starship’s “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now”, we see a masterful use of the camera, helping to draw the audience into one of the film’s finest moments.

Another glowing aspect revolving around The Skeleton Twins is a more expected one, the film’s outpouring of laughs and humor. Watching these estranged siblings instantly regain their lost bond through the use of comedy is absolutely priceless. In fact, almost any scene shared by Hader and Wiig is sure to generate some laughs. But the most fascinating realization is that their innate knack for jokes doesn’t seem to take take away from their dramatic execution, instead acting as a complementing force that helps give life to The Skeleton Twins.

There are plenty of reasons to enjoy this film. Outside of the wonderful performances from Hader and Wiig, Luke Wilson gives a standout supporting turn as well. The feature’s use of music is great and the story is somber, yet uplifting. While some subplots are more enticing than others and the whole excessive depression bit is clearly played up, The Skeleton Twins leaps over its blemishes and plays as a successful laugh-inducing drama.

GRADE: 4/5

Sundance is known for producing many of the year’s finest in independent cinema, and I’m thrilled to be traveling to Utah in a few short days to experience it first hand. Today I’m previewing the Sundance selections that I’m most excited to see at this year’s festival. But before we get to the top 5, here are a few honorable mention selections that also have my attention.

Honorable Mention: Hellion (starring Breaking Bad‘s Aaron Paul), Infinitely Polar Bear (starring Mark Ruffalo), Laggies (starring Keira Knightley and Sam Rockwell) and Happy Christmas (starring Anna Kendrick).

#5. God’s Pocket

The always great Philip Seymour Hoffman will be sporting plenty of screen-time in more than one film at Sundance this year. First up is the drama God’s Pocket, which follows a man’s who gets more than he bargained for when he attempts to cover-up his step-son’s accidental death. Also starring John Turturro, Richard Jenkins and Ray Donovan‘s Eddie Marsan, God’s Pocket has the type of cast you simply salivate over.

#4. The Skeleton Twins

You don’t always need a drama or thriller to satisfy your movie-going needs. In fact, one of Sundance’s most anticipated features is the comedy The Skeleton Twins which stars Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig as estranged twins who miraculously escape death on the same day. As a result, they decide to reconnect and confront how their lives went so wrong over the years. An 88 minute running time sounds like an appropriate length to let these hilarious comedic actors do their thing.

#3. Calvary

I’ve become a huge fan of Brendan Gleeson’s work over the years. Recently, though, he’s make his mark as an outstanding comedic actor with hilarious turns in the massively underrated Irish-comedy, The Guard, and the better known In Bruges. With his latest work, Gleeson stars as a priest who’s life is threatened during a confessional one day. Unsure if whether the threats are true or not, this good-natured priest is forced to confront the evil that’s closing in on him. Co-starring Bridesmaids‘ Chris O’Dowd, Calvary has all the makings of another fine comedic offering from Gleeson and company. (FULL TRAILER AVAILABLE ONLINE)

#2. A Most Wanted Man

The second major Sundance title starring Philip Seymour Hoffman is an adaptation of a 2008 John le Carre espionage novel of the same name, A Man Most Wanted. Anton Corbijn directs this thriller that examines an escaped Chechen Muslim who finds his way to Hamburg, Germany. While hiding out, he becomes the center of an international war on terror. Headlined by a cast including Rush’s Daniel Bruhl, Willem Dafoe, Rachel McAdams and Robin Wright, A Man Most Wanted is certainly surrounded by a ton of intrigue.

#1. Locke

There hasn’t been much said about my most anticipated feature at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Rising star and extraordinary talent, Tom Hardy, stars in Locke, an 85 minute thrill ride about a man whose life falls apart while in a race against time. Making its way around the European festival circuit last year, Locke has been lauded by just about everyone who’s seen the film. Hardy’s long list of impressive work makes him one of my favorite actors and I definitely can’t wait to see this latest feature.

*** Stay tuned for regular updates live from the Sundance Film Festival

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