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               The Skeleton Twins is another one of those titles that I just happened to stumble across by accident. For some reason, some of the various things I’m signed up for/ a member of every once in a while decide to “reward” me by sending me subscriptions to magazines I don’t really want. At the moment I’m receiving 4 magazines that I know weren’t gifted to me by anyone I know and that I certainly didn’t subscribe to. (I should really contact each magazine’s subscription department to cancel them, but instead I’ve been donating most of them to my local library without so much as opening the cover.)

        One of these unwanted magazines is Rolling Stone. Again, I don’t know why I’m receiving it, but every so often there’s an article or two I do read before I donate it. In an issue from this past summer there was an interview with Bill Hader featured on the cover. I loved him on Saturday Night Live, so I decided to read it. In the interview he mentioned The Skeleton Twins as his latest project at the time, with a brief description of the movie. He said that this film was a little different as far as the other roles he and co-star Kristin Wiig have played; that this was a bit more dramatic and dark than we’re used to seeing them. Immediately after finishing the interview I added The Skeleton Twins to my “must see” list.

        This movie is about fraternal twins Maggie and Milo, whose ten year estrangement ends abruptly when Milo attempts suicide. Maggie puts on the façade of a woman whose life is perfect for Milo at first, but as they begin to reconnect it’s clear that they both have problems far deeper than can be seen on the surface.

        The Skeleton Twins takes you on the emotional roller coaster that comes along with themes of severe depression, suicide, emotional guilt and the need to survive no matter what. Bill Hader and Kristin Wiig deliver performances that prove that both of them have far more to offer us than simply laughs, while ensuring that this movie doesn’t drag us too far into the pit of despair. The end result is a film that is funny, yet somber, hopeful, yet a little tragic and so deeply touching that you’ll wonder why you hadn’t heard of it before.

The Skeleton Twins is rated R, was written and directed by Craig Johnson and stars Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig and Luke Wilson. It is available now on Blu Ray, DVD and digital download.