Having premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, we have heard little more from The Skeleton Twins – until now. The dramedy stars regular collaborators Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader as co-leads, and is written and directed by Craig Johnson (True Adolescents), with Mark Heyman (Black Swan) as co-writer.
After a decade of estrangement, twins Milo and Maggie are thrust back together in unexpected and surprising circumstances. Their respective lives have taken some wrong turns, and they gradually realise that the key to resolving their issues is to repair their relationship with each other. That synopsis – while succinct – does no justice to what is a joyous trailer. Joyous, not for its generally uplifting atmosphere, but because of the perfect showcase it provides for the revelatory Bill Hader.
The first thing that is blatantly obvious from this preview is that Kristen Wiig is doing what Kristen Wiig does – again. But Hader is a different story altogether. He seems to have seized this leading role opportunity with both hands and is running with it – clutched tightly to his heart – straight across the finish line. This is the role we have been waiting for him to have, after watching him produce brilliant supporting turns for years. Superbad, Adventureland (with Wiig), Paul (with Wiig again) – all of them have led him here, and he appears to be perfect.
With Hader finally taking his rightful place above the title, it is for Ty Burrell and Luke Wilson to do the supporting – and they look to be doing a sterling job, as ever. While it is nothing groundbreaking, they leave ample room for the leads to spread their talented wings. Unfortunately, Wiig doesn’t seem to be spreading hers quite far enough – but that’s fine, because Hader can pick up the slack. They have enough chemistry to make a history between them believable (thanks to Saturday Night Live), and to make the plot roll forward. But, make no mistake – when The Skeleton Twins opens on Spetember 19, it is Bill Hader’s time to shine. And about time, too.
