O’Brien and Sweeney are the dynamic duo trying to combat grief after the loss of their loved one. I had the privilege to interview with both of them before screening Twinless at Chicago Critics Film Festival 2025!
Twinless (Chicago Critics Film Festival 2025)
Director, writer, and actor James Sweeney presents a Twinless, touching film about disconnect and the need to find a replacement. The story focuses on someone who has lost love but finds an understudy through an identical sibling. As part of the Chicago Critics Film Festival, Twinless is an essential title because it explores how much love can hurt, and how much one can crave what is gone. Sweeney plays the lead who is in desperation. Dylan O’Brien plays the two characters who are twins and who both fall deeply in love with Sweeney’s character.
Sweeney’s character is Dennis, an introverted man who was in love with a man named Rocky (O’Brien). They had a fling that felt special, but this all changed when Rocky passed. Moving forward, Dennis realizes that Rocky has a twin named Roman (also played by O’Brien). Dennis creates a sad story for himself to make it seem like he also lost a twin to feel more connected to Roman, who is straight. Roman’s presence makes Dennis feel that he is still with Rocky. However, there is only so much dishonesty that the relationship can handle.
Sweeney is the master of emotional writing and turmoil. Twinless twisted my emotions to the core. The performances of Sweeney and O’Brien are insanely audacious. Love and grief find common ground in Twinless. It is a mesmerizing portrait of appreciation. Despite one lying to experience love, the title reminds the audience of the power of wishful thinking. Despite the hard truths of the film, the wonders of love are a revelation. Twinless delves into grief looking to be relieved. O’Brien and Sweeney are the dynamic duo trying to combat grief after the loss of their loved one. Four out of four stars for Twinless.
The Surfer Review
For Nicolas Cage, The Surfer is another flick where his egotistical and bipolar moments solidify lead to chaos. This dark comedy flows as it explores many aspects of an individual looking to fulfill his dreams. Along the way, The Surfer feels intuitive. Directed by Lorcan Finegan, this film is a fascinating portrait of a man hoping for his dream to become reality. Cage is the center of all of this. Throughout The Surfer, there are plot twists which become more enriching than the audience may see at first. To be clear, there is no surfing in the movie. Instead, I think of it as Cage “surfing” his way to establish a foundation on uncharted territory. In the early stages of his journey, there are plenty of obstacles. With Cage as the lead character, audiences know what he tends to deliver when annoyances come his way.
Cage’s character’s name is The Surfer. He takes his son on a surprise visit to his favorite beach that he grew up on. He tells his son he is going to buy a house so they can have many surfing adventures. Finn Little plays The Kid, the son. There are many issues that arise during their trip. The Surfer is in a bidding war on the home he wants to purchase. He is waiting for a call from a real estate agent and is all set to get the home of his dreams, which is the home he grew up in. To prove his commitment, The Surfer spends his days in his car awaiting this important call. From that point on, the movie is filled with adventure involving a bunch of odd characters and wannabes that cause things to boil to a breaking point.
What makes The Surfer quirky and attention-grabbing is all the crazy scenes. It is clearly uncharted territory when it comes to Cage’s performance especially when people keep telling him, “DON’T LIVE HERE…DON’T SURF HERE!” The comedy and dark fantasy in the film’s setup are compelling. The film’s writing makes Cage’s performance unravel like a bipolar dragon. When he does so, it is chaotic and silly but also relentlessly brilliant. This is the role for Cage, playing a man so angry that his first-world issue is not being prioritized. The Surfer is not gnarly because of the waves, but due to the treacherous plateaus in Cage’s character. Two-and-a-half out of four stars for The Surfer.
Movies with Tarek 