'Twinless' Gives Us Dylan O’Brien’s Most Nuanced Performance Yet!

In Twinless, star Dylan O’Brien sheds every trace of his teen heartthrob image for a haunting, funny, career-defining turn. The film is a delicate blend of grief, drama, and psychological mystery, and O’Brien carries it with quiet intensity. His work here is lived-in, aching, and unforgettable, the kind of role that makes you reevaluate an actor’s entire career. If there’s justice, awards chatter will follow. While the memories of O’Brien as a teen heartthrob in "Teen Wolf" or the guy sprinting through a dystopian labyrinth in The Maze Runner franchise remain, O’Brien has proven himself in Twinless as a jaw-dropping, devastating, raw, and funny talent. 

On paper, Twinless seems like your typical quirky indie dramady -- two men who lose their identical twin brothers meet in a support group, become fast, unlikely friends, and try to patch themselves back together. Roman (O’Brien) is the awkward, angry, oafish one; Dennis (played by writer-director James Sweeney) is the dry, sarcastic one. With an expansive ensemble filled out by Dennis’s bubbly co-worker Marcie (brilliantly realized by new talent Aisling Franciosi), a briefly seen but ever-funny Chris Perfetti (of "Abbott Elementary"), and a wise, short-fused mother played by Lauren Graham, things should stay quirky and heartwarming… except, they do not.  

What starts as grief-bonding over paired grocery trips and awkward jokes and corrections swerves into something much darker. Secrets spill, friendships twist, and suddenly, after the title card drops 30 minutes in, you are watching a psychological thriller that makes you question everyone’s identities and intentions. The movie literally opens with the sound of a fatal car crash within the first 10 seconds, immediately setting the tone. Twinless is about how we hide to get what we want, what is missing from our lives, and what happens when grief takes us to scary places. That’s all I want to say about the twist; if it were up to me, everyone should go into Twinless completely blind. 

O’Brien has always been charming, but Hollywood never fully knew what to do with him. He carried a YA franchise (Maze Runner), dipped into action thrillers (American Assassin), played indie side guys (Not Okay), embodied a comedy legend (Saturday Night), and even partook in a Taylor Swift short film ("All Too Well"). But until now, he never got the role. The one that announces that this guy can really act.

In his dual role of Roman and his ill-fated twin brother Rocky, O’Brien is messy yet magnetic, and heartbreakingly human. As Rocky, a flamboyant, razor-sharp gay man who haunts his brother and a film, O’Brien switches his entire demeanor; Roman is completely absent from his portrayal. Watching him switch between the two is electric. He makes the change with a mustache and colorful clothing, but also just a glance, a smirk, or a shift in his shoulders. 

Then comes O’Brien’s showstopping midpoint monologue. You will know it when you behold it. It is the kind of scene that Sundance audiences will talk about for years, the one where O’Brien cracks wide open and drags the whole theater down into his grief. Suddenly, Dylan O’Brien The Kid From "Teen Wolf", became Dylan O’Brien The Actor, one who awards voters and prestige filmgoers need to pay attention to. 

It is impossible to talk about Twinless without praising James Sweeney, who wrote, directed, and co-starred in the film. His first film, Straight Up, proved he could do fast-talking, neurotic, queer comedy. Here, he stretches into darker territory while keeping the humor intact. His character Dennis is funny and snarky. Watching him unravel is quite the thrill. 

Sweeney also makes Twinless a visual playground. The first act was shot on 35mm, then shifts seamlessly into digital, blurring the line between what feels authentic and what feels artificial. Mirrors, split screens, and clever match cuts constantly remind us of the “twin” theme. Even a missing Pop-Tart gets turned into a devastating symbol. Portland, in all its dampness and dreariness, is captured beautifully. 

While this is the O’Brien show, for all intents and purposes, the ensemble still deserves love. Aisling Franciosi is the film’s secret weapon, taking what could have been a “ditzy co-worker” role and turning it into something tender and funny. Lauren Graham, in only a few scenes as Roman and Rocky’s mom, devastates, her mix of anger and wisdom lingering between each of her fiery scenes. And Chris Perfetti proves once again that he is one of the funniest actors working today, even with minimal screen time. 

I'll be honest, though, this movie is a tough watch. It is about stomach-turning grief, deception, and pain. But it’s also slyly hilarious, visually inventive, and totally unpredictable. One minute, you are laughing at Roman stating that he can’t make friends “with a fork", the next, you are bracing yourself for a psychological twist that makes your jaw drop. 

It is also a true theatrical experience. Roadside Attractions, the indie studio that distributed Twinless, is committed to putting its character-driven films in theaters, giving space not just for spectacle action but the grand drama of everyday life. When O’Brien launches into that monologue, you must be in a packed theater, hearing the entire audience hold its breath. When the smartly-written jokes land, the laughter is roaring and communal. And when the secrets unravel, expect audible gasps. 

Twinless sneaks up on you. You go in for indie-dramedy vibes, you are glued to your seat when the tension rises, and you leave thinking about Dylan O’Brien in a whole new way. His dual performance as Roman and Rocky is not just the best work of his career; it is the kind of acting that has the potential to rebrand him completely. 

As a twin myself, this film hit as hard as I expected. Every mirrored shot, every line about missing half of yourself felt like a gut punch. When O’Brien, as Rocky, mutters, “He thinks I’m the good twin, but he is,” I felt the sting of truth. The film taps into a nightmare every twin quietly fears: what happens when your other half is suddenly gone? 

So, no shade to "Teen Wolf" or Maze Runner, but the boy who used to run through forests and crack sarcastic jokes has grown into something else entirely -- a serious, surprising, and, yes, dazzling actor. 

Twinless is in theatres now!