The Skeleton Twins

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The Skeleton Twins

R

Released Sep 19, 2014

1h 31m

Comedy

Drama

LGBTQ+

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Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

166 Reviews

69%

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25,000+ Ratings

Following many years of estrangement, twins Milo (Bill Hader) and Maggie (Kristen Wiig) have an unexpected reunion after a set of near-tragedies. The situation forces them to confront how their lives became so broken. For Maggie, it means examining why she's so unhappy in a marriage to a loving husband. For Milo, it means meeting with his first love to see if their romance can reignite. Eventually, they learn that living truthfully and accepting each other is the only way to move forward.

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Critics Consensus

Led by powerful performances from Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader, The Skeleton Twins effectively mines laughs and tears from family drama.

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David Sims

The Atlantic

Despite occasional charming moments and a generally solid ensemble, The Skeleton Twins doesn't distinguish itself in any memorable way.

Sep 22, 2016

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Mark Kermode

Observer (UK)

Suicide is no laughing matter, but there are some wry smiles in this changeably moody indie-pic about self-destructive siblings.

Nov 9, 2014

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Charlotte O'Sullivan

London Evening Standard

How can you not love something that gives Wiig so much scope?

Rated: 4/5

Nov 7, 2014

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Richard Crouse

Richard Crouse

An interesting and funny character study for much of its 93 minute running time, but the ending feels almost as if the production ran out of money and shut down before they figured out a satisfactory conclusion.

Rated: 3.5/5

Feb 1, 2021

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

An exhausting succession of dramatic happenings that leave little room for periodic small wins.

Rated: 4/10

Dec 4, 2020

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Stephen A. Russell

The New Daily (Australia)

It will have you guffawing wildly at a perfectly judged lip synch dance off to Jefferson Starship's Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now one minute, then sobbing surreptitiously into your sleeve.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 26, 2020

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HMF B

Worth a watch but rather depressing in tone. One can feel what the characters are feeling about their lives because of great acting from from Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader. I removed half a point for the depressing aspect of the movie.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/25

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Sam F

Harder and Wiig are credible leads and you care about what happens to them.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/25/25

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Audience Member

10 years old and it’s a pretty good drama by two stars known for their comedic chops Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig of SNL fame play brother and sister; Milo and Maggie haven’t been in touch for 10 years and their father died After they both had experiences contemplating suicide they try their hardest to live again and reconnect They both look why they’re so unhappy and broken from a teacher Milo used to have and an infidelity Maggie is involved in Who else can blow up your life besides family? The title has a double meaning; for one there’s a visual representation of a Halloween decoration two siblings shared as kids and the fact that both of them have secrets hidden away deep inside they can’t share There’s plenty of relatable crises going on here Yet the film does stumble in a few places and the ending almost feels like they ran out of time to make a proper conclusion Fresh, funny, and heartbreaking with depressing subject matter but carried by stellar performances proving that even a smile and a laugh can blossom out of dark troubles A heartfelt character study exploring contemporary anxieties of characters that feel like real people thanks to Craig Johnson’s direction

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/26/24

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John S

This movie is so well executed. Does well to create a feel of the 80s. Excellent soundtrack with great performances. Bill Harder and Kristin wiig are an absolute treat together. a true gem and gives that great summer feel.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/13/24

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Chris C

One of the best films I've seen in a long time. The movie is deep and addresses deep issues. Be warned. This is not a comedy.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/07/24

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AMc M

The best acting possible and the best blend of humor and crushing sadness.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/22/24

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Craig Johnson

Director

Bill Hader

Milo

Kristen Wiig

Maggie

Luke Wilson

Lance

Ty Burrell

Rich

Boyd Holbrook

Billy

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Synopsis

Following many years of estrangement, twins Milo (Bill Hader) and Maggie (Kristen Wiig) have an unexpected reunion after a set of near-tragedies. The situation forces them to confront how their lives became so broken. For Maggie, it means examining why she's so unhappy in a marriage to a loving husband. For Milo, it means meeting with his first love to see if their romance can reignite. Eventually, they learn that living truthfully and accepting each other is the only way to move forward.

Director: Craig Johnson
Producer: Stephanie Langhoff, Jennifer Lee, Jacob Pechenik
Screenwriter: Craig Johnson, Mark Heyman
Distributor: Roadside Attractions
Production Co: Venture Forth, Duplass Brothers
Rating: R (Language|Drug Use|Some Sexuality)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 19, 2014, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 30, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.3M
Runtime: 1h 31m

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