Higher Ed Geek

View Original

Movie Review Monday: The Skeleton Twins

The_Skeleton_Twins_poster

Welcome to another awesome edition of Movie Review Monday!

This week's film is the dramatic comedy The Skeleton Twins starring Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig.

Skeleton Twins surrounds the troubled lives of two siblings, Maggie and Milo (Wiig and Hader, respectively), who come together after both experience failed suicide attempts after having grown apart for the past ten years. They reconnect, reassess their lives, and find a new direction for themselves.

Oddly enough, my partner and I just watched another movie about suicide on Netflix, Before I Disappear, which hits on many of the same notes as Skeleton Twins. Both are darkly comedic looks at how one person can have a profound impact one someone else, especially when they need it the most. Before I Disappear is a much smaller, and at times surreal, story where Skeleton Twins focuses much more on the relationship between Wiig and Hader's characters than the other film does.

Wiig and Hader are easily the best part about Skeleton Twins. Their interactions are engaging, raw, real, and fun. They feel like real siblings, and the movie benefits from that credibility. While the ending isn't definitive, since the film is sort of a slice of their lives, their lives go on as they will, and we just get this snapshot. The impact of the plot carries through nonetheless.

Both of these movies emphasized the power of our friends and family for our mental and emotional well-being, so be there for the people you care about and reach out when you need help.

Check out Skeleton Twins (and Before I Disappear) both streaming right now on Netflix.

Thanks for stopping by!