Twin Falls Idaho (1999)

Lynchian and tightly-woven, "Twin Falls Idaho" is like entering the private realm of some unusual characters. The Polish brothers, Mark and Michael, introduce us to their world, the world of twins. Really, it is more than just that,but this is what basically defines the realm which we are allowed to enter. They whisper to each other and share a unique connection that is both physical and cerebral. We are aided in our trip through this wondrous world, by our tour-guide, a down on her luck prostitute. 

There is a sort of un-kept secret about "Twin Falls Idaho" that I don't feel like sharing here, just in case you do not know what the film is about. It is exposed within the first 5 minutes of the film, and yet, one imagines not knowing it is quite wonderful. 

So let's talk more about the mechanical aspects of the film, because the story is deep and moving and sensitive and wonderful. It says much about relationships between siblings, in particular identical twins, as well as about the loneliness of the single human. It's script may have moments of obvious symbolism and downright writer's contrivances but they work. They make the film more human, more in touch and more obvious. It is no surprise that the brothers scripted it, filmed it and acted in it together. 

Michael directs and apparently it took the brothers several tries to get a producer who would let him helm the film. He triumphs by delivering a work that is moody, atmospheric, dark and claustrophobic. The sets, while Lynchian, are not overly ambiguous. They recall "Elephant Man" and "Hotel Room" more than "Lost Highway." Michael's camera sort of wafts through the film, travelling down empty corridors and peeking behind closed doors to give us the intimate, almost private, glimpse at what the film tells us. It's a wonderful first effort and perfectly encapsulates the mood and the tenor of the film's story. 

The acting, mainly by this triumvirate of the brothers and the prostitute, is genuinely touching and real. While the brothers seem a little shy and uneasy at times, playing twins named the Falls brothers, I think this is more a condition of their natural qualities taking over the attributes of their characters than poor acting. The Falls boys are not overly cerebral, overly talkative or filled with overt personality. They are quiet and prohibitive in their nature and the Polish brothers perform these attributes with seeming ease. The performance by all else in the film is quite good too with a couple of recognizable stars in the mix. Leslie Ann Warren, Garrett Morris and William Katt, three names not normally associated with good acting, do marvelous jobs here. All three play their parts quite low-key in keeping with the film's subdued tone and the result is quite effecting. Although, of all of these, sadly, Warren, who has the most important role, is the least successful. But the star of the film is newcomer Michele Hicks, who plays a sort of down on her luck prostitute. Rather than present her as a sort of "Pretty Woman" with a heart of gold, the Polish brothers opt for an honest and streetwise character that is complex, engrossing and erotic. The chemistry that evolves, albeit slowly, between her and the twins is quite flowing and captivating. 

Presenting themselves in what seems like a somewhat autobiographical film, the Polish brothers make "Twin Falls Idaho" a perplexing piece. There is a subtle, very genuine, sexuality in the film that radiates from the coupling of the brothers. Their exacting manner and seeming telepathic nature make them seem in tune with one and other in a slightly sexual way. This, of course, must be considered purposeful in that the character of the prostitute adds an obvious sexual feel to the film as well. There is a reason she is a prostitute and not a librarian, say. The film even has dialogue which hints that there may be some sort of a homosexual desire on the part of one of the brothers. This smoldering interplay which develops between the brothers and the prostitute is a key element to the film yet because it is kept at an almost subtextural level, the film weaves around it in ever shrinking concentric circles until it's final moments. And although the few minor gay characters in the film are treated, rather shabbily, almost as jokes, one wonders if the film isn't making a statement about the sexual bond between male twins that exist somewhere on a subterranean level in their psyche. There is at least an acknowledgment of the duality intrinsic in homosexuality. For a gay person, it is quite a riveting and interesting underweaving to the crux of the story going on here. 

I am not an only child, I have one sister, but we are not particularly close. "Twin Falls Idaho" becomes incomprehensible to me. The characters are in a relationship that goes much deeper than most siblings, much deeper than most romantic couples, much deeper than most brothers, and, even, much deeper than most twins. And yet the subtle complexities of these relationships we see here make for an examinations of ourselves. For in seeing the world through their eyes, we wonder about our own relationships and long for a connection to another human being that is as strong as the one the Falls brothers in the film experience. When we leave the theater, after the film's heartfelt ending, we cannot help but feel utterly alone.

Report Card

Script: A

Acting: A

Cinematography\Lighting: A+

Special Effects\Make Up:A+

Music: A+

Final Grade: A+