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Dead ringers >> Twin Falls Idaho's press is better than the movie itself
by MATTHEW HAYS
The film has a set of Siamese twins, played by non-Siamese twins Mike and Mark Polish (who also cowrote and directed the film), struggling to deal with a terrifically judgmental and unaccepting world. After a prostitute (Michele Hicks) turns down down their request--she's put off by their attached status--she finds herself drawn to the pair, suddenly empathetic to their plight. Hicks takes them to a Halloween party (Halloween being the only night of the year when they actually fit in), defends them against gawkers and, ultimately, becomes erotically enmeshed with them. It does indeed sound deliciously Lynchian, but the Polish Brothers have stated in interviews that they really didn't want to make a film in that model. No Blue Velvet, Twin Falls Idaho instead attempts to look beyond the bizarre façade and see the humanity of its central characters (at least that's what Peter Bowen, writing in the current issue of Filmmaker Magazine, gleaned from the film). While the Polish Brothers have avoided mimicking Lynch, they've also created a terrifically disappointing film. Twin Falls Idaho is far too slowly paced, with far too little payoff and little or no revelation about humanity at its core. Yes, the twin filmmakers move beyond mere freakshow, but there's little to show for their tasteful and respectful profile of the Siamese pair. Clearly, the Siamese thing is merely a setup to allow the filmmakers to riff about the complexities of human intimacy itself. But the drama of Twin Falls Idaho is so stilted as to dampen any potentially illuminating moments. Some sparse dialogue is exchanged; people glance at one another, forlornly; there's a healthy dose of silence; then on to the next scene. It doesn't make for much of a movie, and Twin Falls Idaho's lacklustre quality says less about the film itself then it does about the media which cover the film biz. So desperate to jump on the Next Big Thing, film writers will jump on virtually any old bandwagon that looks and/or smells kinky or titillating enough. Things that shouldn't get juiced up way beyond reasonable expectations. The losers end up being the filmgoers themselves.
Twin Falls Idaho opens Friday, September 17 at the Cinéma du Parc. See repertory listings for showtimes |
It all sounded so delightfully kinky and perfectly twisted. The premise for Twin Falls Idaho, buzzed about liberally on the fest circuit and touted as the next big indie sensation, sounded like one of David Lynch's wet dreams.