The Skeleton Twins *** (2014, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Luke Wilson) – Movie Review

A movie that starts with both its central characters trying to commit suicide isn’t going to be all a bundle of laughs, and nor is this one, but it certainly tries hard to amuse as well as be appealing and tell a lot of home truths. It’s nice again to have an American studio movie on a human scale with no CGI and real actors that can be relied on to develop fresh characters and relish decent dialogue.

The likeable Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader play twins Maggie and Milo, estranged for 10 years for reasons we’re going to discover. Milo’s attempt at suicide lands him in hospital rather than the next life, and it’s a call from the hospital that stops Maggie killing herself. She rushes to her gay brother’s bedside. When he’s recovered, she suggests he moves in with her and her accommodating and amenable but boring husband, Lance (Luke Wilson), for as long as he needs.

The couple tell Milo they’re trying to have a baby but Maggie is unsure if she wants a child and is secretly taking the pill. She’s also having an affair with her sleazy scuba diving instructor (Boyd Holbrook). Trying to resolve his issues, Milo reunites with his creepy, married former teacher (Ty Burrell), with whom he had a teenage gay affair. Meanwhile, the twins’ reunion reinvigorates them.

An interesting, unusual situation with interesting, unusual characters is a recipe for an interesting, unusual movie. The characters are a bit stereotypical, though, unfortunately, especially the gay hero. OK this is America, and such a man might be exactly like this and behave exactly like this, but even so… His stereotype goes right down to his acid witty sense of humour, though this does lead to a lot of laughs, which help compensate for the often depressing story’s basically morbid, and even tragic, nature. They seem to be going for bitter-sweet, but it uncomfortably and awkwardly steers over in the bitter direction.

The ending’s bravely open and unresolved, but that leads to a lack of feel-good factor as you wander off down the road from the cinema afterwards. The honest and appealing Wiig and Hader do a grand job though, and Wilson, Burrell and Holbrook are ideal in their sketchily written support turns.

It is the second film (after True Adolescents in 2009) for director Craig Johnson, who co-writes with Mark Heyman (who also co-wrote Black Swan).

© Derek Winnert 2014 Movie Review

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