Two young men meet in a twin support group and form an unlikely friendship. A film by James Sweeney, starring Dylan O’Brien, James Sweeney, Aisling Franciosi, Chris Perfetti, François Arnaud, Tasha Smith, Susan Park, Cree, and Lauren Graham.

Following the funeral service for Roman’s identical twin brother Rocky, who was adored by many, Roman (Dylan O’Brien) and their mother Lisa (Lauren Graham) head to Rocky’s apartment to sort through his belongings. As Lisa goes through Rocky’s possessions, trying to decide what to keep or discard, Roman is on his phone, clearly agitated with whoever is on the other end, frustrated that he can’t get Rocky’s account cancelled now that Rocky’s gone. Lisa repeatedly interrupts, asking Roman whether she should keep or toss various items since she lacks the space to take everything home. Roman suggests they finish this tomorrow, but Lisa refuses, explaining she’s heading back home the next day. The exchange escalates into a heated argument, prompting Lisa to tell Roman he needs help.

Roman attends a support group created specifically for people who have lost their twin. The group leader, Charlotte (Tasha Smith), explains to the attendees that as twins, they tend to internalize the differences between themselves and their other half.

There, Roman meets Dennis (James Sweeney), a gay man who recently lost his twin. Roman mentions that his brother Rocky was also gay. When the snacks at the venue turn out to be awful, Dennis suggests they grab something better at a nearby café that serves good sandwiches.

Over food, Dennis only drinks tea, claiming he forgot that he already ate, while Roman has a sandwich. Dennis talks about his ex-boyfriend back in New York. Roman confesses he knew nothing about Rocky’s boyfriends since they never really discussed that kind of thing. He shares that their last conversation was about socks. Rocky was the ambitious one who went to college, while Roman has been living in their mother’s basement in Moscow, Idaho.

Roman stays at Rocky’s apartment while the probate process runs its course, and Rocky’s former boss offers him a job. Roman is thinking about accepting since he’s currently unemployed. During this period, Roman and Dennis begin spending more time together, hanging out and running errands like grocery shopping. Their friendship grows stronger. Roman finds comfort in Dennis’s company, and Dennis seems equally attached to Roman.

At the twin support group, Dennis opens up about his twin Dean’s death, revealing that he blames himself. He explains that Dean was supposed to pick him up from the airport but forgot. Dennis could have called a cab, but he decided to call Dean instead because he wanted his brother to pick him up. Dean was speeding to get there and ended up crashing.

A flashback shows an evening where Rocky and Dennis had an intimate relationship prior to Rocky’s death, offering a glimpse into Dennis’s life that he actually knew Rocky but deliberately doesn’t tell Roman about it. Rocky mentions that he has an identical twin brother, and Dennis appears excited, confessing that he’s been obsessed with twins since childhood, believing that his mother took him while his father took his twin to Japan.

Rocky opens up about how being a twin doesn’t always come with the perks people imagine. He explains that he and Roman used to be inseparable when they were young but somehow grew apart as they got older. Being a twin can be lonely. Still, Roman remains his favorite person, and Rocky thinks Roman a good twin, though the reality is quite opposite. Rocky recounts a childhood memory: when they were little, he broke his big toe tripping up the stairs. Later that same day, Roman came home with a broken foot. Roman never explained what happened, but Rocky suspects his brother didn’t want him suffering alone, so he intentionally dropped a bowling ball or something on his own foot.

Written and directed by American filmmaker James Sweeney, TWINLESS is a black comedy about a young man who has just lost his twin brother in an accident. Seeking support, he joins a twin loss support group where he meets another man with a similar tragedy, and the two form a close brotherly bond. However, a dark secret eventually emerges revealing that their first encounter was no coincidence.

Dylan O’Brien delivers an exceptional performance, showcasing a wide range of emotions as he portrays both twin characters, each with their own unique charisma. O’Brien effortlessly transitions between the two roles, making each character so believable and distinct that they truly feel like separate individuals.

The screenplay by James Sweeney, who not only wrote and directed the film but also stars alongside O’Brien, is intricate and filled with dark twists that propel the story in unexpected directions. Each character is given depth through compelling backstories that draw viewers into their emotional journeys.

The first half delivers some truly hilarious moments. Then the second half ventures into much darker territory, though the film maintains a careful balance without becoming excessively grim. Still, there are unsettling scenes where a character seems to edge toward psychopathic behavior, even if they don’t fully cross that line.

TWINLESS premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on 23 January 2025 where it won the Audience Award. The film was theatrically released in the United States on 5 September.