Skeleton Twins, The MPAA Rating: R Entertainment: +1 Content: -4

Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Luke Wilson. Drama.

FILM SYNOPSIS: Brother and sister haven’t seen each other in ten years. He’s an unemployed gay and bitter actor; she is promiscuous and unhappily involved with a good man. When the brother attempts suicide, the twins get together and try to find the meaning of life.

PREVIEW REVIEW: It’s the end of the year and Hollywood trots out the most depressing movies they can find in hopes the art house crowd and the many, many award committees will again take the industry seriously after this summer’s batch of crude comedies and endless comic book fantasies. Unfortunately many of these new entries like The Skeleton Twins offer little to combat life’s turmoil. They suggest the problems, but offer no concrete solutions (in my opinion).

Brother and sister each attempt suicide between yelling matches and bouts of bonding. Drugs, promiscuous sex (he reunites with a male teacher who had sex with him when he was sixteen, she with her scuba teacher while her nerdy, but supportive husband is off working), and montages featuring bro & sis doing Karaoke, dressing for Halloween (he in drag), and several abusive verbal battles reveal their personal demons, but they never try to truly explore their inner nature. The sporadic humor is built on cynicism and the filmmaker’s insights only point out two very self-centered people trying to cope with the disappointment of how their lives turned out.

Certainly not every film designed to entertain moviegoers needs a spiritual message, but most attempting to walk a path with Christ may find this story unsatisfying. The lead characters numb themselves but never consider their salvation may be found in biblical foundations. While I don’t expect many Hollywood filmmakers to address the need for Christ in their lives, when dealing with the true purpose of life, shouldn’t they at least examine the spiritual aspect of man’s makeup, rather than completely ignore it?

But for me the film’s worst failing is the two protagonists. They’re self-indulgent and really unlikable characters. By film’s end, I didn’t care what they did, just so long as I didn’t have to meet them.

DVD Alternatives:

The Tree of Life: It’s an impressionistic story of a Midwestern family coping with a death, embittered relationships, and haunting questions concerning God and the afterlife. In an era of “reality” entertainment that often limelight’s insipid subjects such as the plight of the Kardasians squeezing oversized bottoms into undersized briefs, Terrance Malick has used a free-form art-house film to suggest the omniscient stature of God. Read the full review

The Life of Pi: Profound and spiritual, Life of Pi was also the most visually stunning film of 2012. Like Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life, Life of Pi bedazzles with CGI visuals that add to and support the film’s viscerally emotional impact. As with Mr. Malick, filmmaker Ang Lee is unafraid of bringing the subjects of God, faith, and the seeking of spiritual fulfillment to the Cineplex. Read the full review.

Preview Reviewer: Phil Boatwright
Distributor: Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions