The Skeleton Twins (2014)

"The Skeleton Twins" has so much raw material to work with that it's nearly tragic it didn't turn out to be a better movie.

Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig have a tremendous amount of chemistry as dysfunctional brother and sister who are brought back together by his attempted suicide after years of being estranged. The point of the movie -- which I only know because it was told to me by the film, not because it actually does a good job of conveying it -- is that these two siblings, contentious though they may be, are the best thing for each other, and that their lives are better when they're together than either's is for them when they are not.

I'll have to take the movie's word for it, because Hader and Wiig create such messed up characters that it's utterly inconceivable they could possibly help one another until they've helped themselves. I think we're supposed to think they're likable underneath their gloomy angst, mostly because they burst into spontaneous lip synch performances of 80s movie ballads, but they sure as hell aren't any fun to spend time with. The film drags on and on, giving these two talented comedians virtually no opportunities to be remotely funny, and then forces a completely implausible ending on us that we're supposed to accept as evidence that this particular brother and sister can't live without each other.

The character I identified most with was the one played by Luke Wilson, good guy husband to Kristen Wiig who she and Bill Hader treat like crap. I wanted to ditch the two tortured souls and go have a beer with him instead.

Oh, and the award for most heavy handed symbolism of the year (the goldfish) goes to...you guessed it...."The Skeleton Twins."

Grade: B-

Fmovies: This movie is such a mash-up of mainstream indie film clichés that it almost plays like a spoof of Sundance dramedies. You know the kind I mean: a dysfunctional, cynical group of individuals is forced to spend time together and end up reconnecting with each other and, after lots of wisecracking, '80s music interludes, and moments of forced poignancy -- regain their humanity. But if it were a spoof, it would be entertaining. The fact that it premiered at Sundance says a lot about the current state of independent cinema.

The only satisfaction one can get from watching THE SKELETON TWINS is keeping a checklist of indie film conventions that this movie recycles -- from overall themes, to plot devices, to performance style, to wacky musical interlude. If you've never seen an independent film, you might be impressed by the self-consciously quirky direction, the quote-unquote dark comedy, the lovable gay character (we know he's gay because he tells us so, several times, in the first ten minutes). I wish the filmmaker had spent more time developing three-dimensional characters instead of taking other people's shortcuts.

The Skeleton Twins tells the story of two estranged twins, Maggie and Milo and the hardships that come with their lives. To start off, this film is one of the best films of the year, hands down. Bill Hader and Kristin Wigg prove that they are not only talented comedic actors but excellent actors all around. Coming off of their Saturday Night Live days, this film is proof that these two have more to offer than sketch comedy. The story, while dark and dreary, still manages to score some great laughs. Despite a huge theme being suicide and the reasoning behind why one would take their own life, it manages to keep the material light but still packs some heavy emotional punches in certain scenes. A film that can balance something as serious as suicide while still making you laugh is an accomplishment in its own right, in my opinion. There is only so much I can say about the story without giving too much away, but I will say that it is as close to perfect as a film can get. The actors are stellar all around the board, made up of Wigg, Hader, Luke Wilson and Ty Burrel, this cast is utterly fantastic. Luke Wilson steals the show in scenes with Hader but what Hader does with his character is takes something very two dimensional on paper and transforms it into something provocative and sharp, it would not surprise me if an Oscar nomination comes his way for this. Kristin Wigg is on point as Maggie, commanding the screen with the perfect balance of comedic sharpness and dramatic pull. She is a marvel in this film and should also get some sort of recognition for this. Overall, I cannot praise this film enough. It is sharp, witty, dramatic, funny and heart warming. It is the feel good movie that you'll walk out of and want to see it again as soon as possible.

The Skeleton Twins fmovies. Twins Milo and Maggie have not seen each other for ten years then Maggie gets a call to say her estranged brother is in hospital after a failed suicide attempt.

She goes to see him out in L.A. and brings him back to New York. There he gets to confront his past, their joint histories and whatever the future may hold. This is essentially them getting to know each other again after such a long hiatus and in doing so holding up a metaphoric mirror to each other.

Now this started out a bit slow but once it picked up it is really engaging. Bill Hader as Milo manages to capture the complexities of some one full of life's disappointment but still with reserves of joy that just need tapping. Kristen Wiig plays his sister who has more layers than an onion in terms of how she juggles her various needs. In other words they are both just really human with the same frailties we all have. This is a comedy but it is somewhat dark and often wry but I still found this to be extremely enjoyable for all that – recommended to those who like an offbeat comedy.

Greetings again from the darkness. Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Ty Burrell and Luke Wilson ... prepare yourself for 90 minutes of side-splitting laughter! OK, well you can prepare all you want, but you should know that while there are some funny moments, this is one of the bleakest films of the year. Bleak as in achingly painful to watch at times due to the emotional pain most every character experiences.

Hopefully no one stopped reading after "side-splitting laughter" because here is a sampling of thematic elements covered in the film: attempted suicide, suicide of a parent, adultery, sexual abuse of a minor, rampant lying, depression, horrific parenting, drug use, animal cruelty.

If Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig of SNL fame don't spring to mind when considering those elements, please keep an open mind. Both are extremely good (and believable) in their roles as twins estranged for a decade, forced back together after a near tragedy. See, after a miserable childhood, their time apart has prevented both from establishing a strong personal relationship with anyone else. Hader plays a self-professed "gay cliché", while Wiig is pretending to have the perfect suburban life with her gung-ho, always "up", good guy husband (Luke Wilson).

The film's best humor is produced in small moments thanks to the connection between Wiig and Hader. It's definitely not in the almost shameful attempts at crowd-pleasing offered in the SNL-ish scenes of lip-synching to Starship, and over-indulging on Nitrous Oxide at the dental office.

Real emotional turmoil exists in the scenes between Hader and Ty Burrell, and the unnecessary and inexplicable reunion between Hader, Wiig and their mother (Joanna Gleason). Burrell, known for his outstanding "Modern Family" role, is intriguing as a dramatic actor. Looking forward to more of this from him.

The script, co-written by director Craig Johnson and Mark Heyman, really does capture some poignant and dramatic moments, and certainly benefits from the extremely talented cast. Just don't expect that side-splitting laughter ... unless you are susceptible to lip-synching and/or nitrous oxide.

Always given the bit-part characters in the great Apatow comedies of 6 or 7 years ago, it was a mistake of mine to never take Bill Hadar or Kristen Wiig seriously. Sure, Wiig showed some dramatic weight in Bridesmaids, but that was a light comedy after all. The Skeleton Twins is a lot darker, looking at suicide and failure. Wiig and Hadar's conviction really elevate the material here, especially the latter as her gay brother Milo. Their chemistry is predictably a joy to watch. I just wish I related to it more. I could empathize to a point but I didn't identify with it. It's a little difficult to feel too much sympathy for characters who spend the film feeling sorry for themselves and putting themselves into situations that hurt them. Nevertheless, the consequences the film explores are heartbreaking and authentic, especially the confrontations in its final 20 minutes. It has a lovely visual style to go with the mood with a soft washed out look paired with a great soundtrack, especially a memorable lip syncing scene that whisks you away with it. Perhaps it's too familiar or too irreverent for its own good, but it's certainly a good effort from everyone.

7/10