For me, ideas are what sell a movie for me (at least for the most part). Given the state of Hollywood today where everything is a remake or rehashed from something else, it's refreshing to see something totally original like "Twin Falls Idaho." But not only does "Twin Falls Idaho" contain some good ideas, it's a well-crafted and utterly fascinating film.
What would happen if you had to go everywhere and do everything with someone else? What would it be like? How would you do it? These are some of the questions that "Twin Falls Idaho" addresses. Blake and Francis Falls (Mark and Michael Polish in their writing and Michael's directing debut) are Siamese twins who have lived their whole lives attached to each other. But Francis is sick, and the brothers are determined to go out of this world together. Enter Penny, a prostitute who grows very close to them, and ends up falling for Blake.
The beauty about this film is how it's constructed. The twins may be the film's focus, but Penny is our eyes. We know as much as she does, and her reactions are instantly relatable. She asks the questions that we want to ask, and the movie never gets ahead of the audience or vice versa. But the Polish brothers know that there is a story here, and they wisely focus on that. But they integrate being a Siamese twin flawlessly, and that's what raises this movie to another level.
The acting by the three leads is outstanding. The Polish brothers are brilliant. They are so good at functioning as Siamese twins that it's almost impossible to believe that they are not really like that. The are used to all the questions, and the looks, and they are used to answering them, but the stares and pointing still hurt, and their desire for privacy is something they hold dear. Newcomer Michele Hicks equals them. A lesser talented actor would overact her emotions, but she understands the use of subtlety, and that's why the audience can relate to her. Everything about her character is real and genuine.
Less impressive are two of the most important supporting characters, Sissy and Tre. Their desire to expose the twins (for shock value/gossip as in Sissy's case, or money and publicity in Tre's case), come off as writer's constructs, and while the actions are genuine, the situations feel contrived (but the performances are good and very effective, especially Ant as Tre). But these missteps are saved by the performances of the other actors. Lesley Ann Warren fares better as Francine, the twins' mother who gave them up for adoption after they were born, but she's still not as good as the three principal characters. The other actors are great, such as Miles, the doctor friend of Penny's who helps her look after the twins. There are an assortment of oddball characters, but the actors keep them real and believable (unlike Wes Anderson or Terry Zwigoff).
Michael Polish has the mark of a terrific director. The film is clearly a low budget indie film, but Polish makes the most of his budget so it doesn't seem like it. The tone is dark, yet strangely warm. This is a quiet movie, almost too quiet, but it helps establish the tone. Polish has respect for his material, and his film is about curiosity, and NEVER exploitative.
"Twin Falls Idaho" isn't perfect, but the good aspects vastly outweigh its flaws. It's impossible to understand why this movie didn't get access to a wider audience, particularly since co-joined twins were, and still are, a slightly hot topic of the day. I can definitely say that this is a must-see film for everyone, especially since its messages of tolerance and respect have many parallels with today's world.
What would happen if you had to go everywhere and do everything with someone else? What would it be like? How would you do it? These are some of the questions that "Twin Falls Idaho" addresses. Blake and Francis Falls (Mark and Michael Polish in their writing and Michael's directing debut) are Siamese twins who have lived their whole lives attached to each other. But Francis is sick, and the brothers are determined to go out of this world together. Enter Penny, a prostitute who grows very close to them, and ends up falling for Blake.
The beauty about this film is how it's constructed. The twins may be the film's focus, but Penny is our eyes. We know as much as she does, and her reactions are instantly relatable. She asks the questions that we want to ask, and the movie never gets ahead of the audience or vice versa. But the Polish brothers know that there is a story here, and they wisely focus on that. But they integrate being a Siamese twin flawlessly, and that's what raises this movie to another level.
The acting by the three leads is outstanding. The Polish brothers are brilliant. They are so good at functioning as Siamese twins that it's almost impossible to believe that they are not really like that. The are used to all the questions, and the looks, and they are used to answering them, but the stares and pointing still hurt, and their desire for privacy is something they hold dear. Newcomer Michele Hicks equals them. A lesser talented actor would overact her emotions, but she understands the use of subtlety, and that's why the audience can relate to her. Everything about her character is real and genuine.
Less impressive are two of the most important supporting characters, Sissy and Tre. Their desire to expose the twins (for shock value/gossip as in Sissy's case, or money and publicity in Tre's case), come off as writer's constructs, and while the actions are genuine, the situations feel contrived (but the performances are good and very effective, especially Ant as Tre). But these missteps are saved by the performances of the other actors. Lesley Ann Warren fares better as Francine, the twins' mother who gave them up for adoption after they were born, but she's still not as good as the three principal characters. The other actors are great, such as Miles, the doctor friend of Penny's who helps her look after the twins. There are an assortment of oddball characters, but the actors keep them real and believable (unlike Wes Anderson or Terry Zwigoff).
Michael Polish has the mark of a terrific director. The film is clearly a low budget indie film, but Polish makes the most of his budget so it doesn't seem like it. The tone is dark, yet strangely warm. This is a quiet movie, almost too quiet, but it helps establish the tone. Polish has respect for his material, and his film is about curiosity, and NEVER exploitative.
"Twin Falls Idaho" isn't perfect, but the good aspects vastly outweigh its flaws. It's impossible to understand why this movie didn't get access to a wider audience, particularly since co-joined twins were, and still are, a slightly hot topic of the day. I can definitely say that this is a must-see film for everyone, especially since its messages of tolerance and respect have many parallels with today's world.