From childhood to adolescence, everybody grows up in a different and unique way.
For example, I grew up with a much older brother and sister, so I had nobody my age to grow along with.
I wouldn’t change a thing, because my siblings were always a part of my life. As twins, they’re connected for life, whether they’re identical or not. There is a bond there that is hard to break.
But once reality comes knocking at the door, separations happen and they may drift away from what once made them whole. “The Skeleton Twins” is the story of what happens when we reconnect with the people we love.
While on the verge of suicide, Maggie [Kristen Wiig] gets a call that her brother Milo [Bill Hader] is in the hospital after an attempted suicide.
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Having been estranged for about ten years, it’s an awkward reunion. Despite this, Maggie invites Milo to stay with her and her husband [Luke Wilson] for a while.
Even though they’re reunited, they both have some personal issues to deal with. Maggie has thoughts of infidelity and Milo reunites with his former high school teacher [Ty Burrell] who molested him when he was fifteen years old.
The only thing that can get them through this is each other. Will they reconnect or succumb to dangerous temptations?
I was hoping that “The Skeleton Twins” would be a great movie. Unfortunately, I can’t say that it was, because this film is the definition of middle-of-the-road. Both Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader have been in films that I’ve genuinely enjoyed. Here, it’s a mixed bag.
Nobody gave a bad performance, but there are traits associated with some of the characters that I had a bit of an issue with.
Bill Hader, overall, was the most interesting character in the film. He was perfectly able to walk that line of droll and upbeat. For those people wondering if Hader gave a serious performance, I can say that he does a good job. Whenever he does make a joke, it’s done in a way that makes you think about it for a second.
Although, while Ty Burrell is a great actor, the storyline with Milo and his teacher feels a little off.
A storyline like this is horrifying to think about, yet the film doesn’t address the uncomfortable relationship until late in the film. Until then, it’s played as a quirky blast from the past. Then again, when it comes time to expose the situation, Hader and Burrell do a great job of displaying emotion.
Then, we come to Kristen Wiig, who started out interesting and ended up frustrating. She has some trouble keeping her emotions under control and uses this as an excuse to act out.
At first, I could understand her doing something crazy once. But once it’s revealed that she’s done a number of terrible things, she becomes an unlikable character.
Also, she has a line that made me flat-out dislike her character that nothing could redeem her from. She then goes on to say how damaged she is and how that’s her motivation.
I understand Milo for acting out, but Maggie is a different case. She has a gentleman for a husband, who does nothing but care for her and her brother.
She claims that she’s screwed up, even though everything seems to be working out in her favor. It irritates me when a character acts down when they have no real reason to.
Also, if you watch the trailer, it’s easy to see where this plot goes. From start to finish, “The Skeleton Twins” is thoroughly predictable, hitting all the familiar beats.
I could overlook this, if I liked the characters. But since Wiig is a weak link, it was hard to care for her character.
The cinematography is standard, with muted colors and basic framing. No one shot ever stood out to me in general.
The film just moved along and that’s about it. Besides a few good performances, there isn’t all that much in “The Skeleton Twins” to give it a proper recommendation.
Rating: C
Matt Bilodeau can be contacted at mbilodeau@keene-equinox.com
