TWIN TOWN
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1997 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 4.0 Alternative Scale: ** out of ****
United Kingdom, 1997 U.S. Release Date: 5/97 (limited) Running Length: 1:39 MPAA Classification: NR (Profanity, violence, sex, nudity) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Llyr Evans, Rhys Ifans, William Thomas, Dorien Thomas, Dougray Scott, Huw Ceredig, Rachel Scorgie, Di Botcher, Mary Allen, Brian Hibbard, Jenny Evans Director: Kevin Allen Producer: Peter McAleese Screenplay: Kevin Allen & Paul Durden Cinematography: John Mathieson Music: Mark Thomas U.S. Distributor: Gramercy Pictures
It doesn't take a genius to presume that TWIN TOWN is this year's attempt by a distributor to reap the market primed by last year's TRAINSPOTTING (in fact, that film's creative team of Danny Boyle and Andrew MacDonald exec-produced this movie). The feature debut of director Kevin Allen is exceptionally profane, frequently violent, and occasionally grotesque, which all adds up to a reasonably high "hipness" quotient in a genre where Quentin Tarantino is king. Plus, TWIN TOWN has the same kind of nearly-incomprehensible accents (Welsh instead of Scottish here) that caused Miramax to panic and try some selective (and ineffective) dubbing of the TRAINSPOTTING audio tracks. Ultimately, however, like so many wannabes, TWIN TOWN lacks several key ingredients that its predecessor possessed -- notably style, originality, and depth.
The film starts out promisingly enough, with a self-mocking prologue in which the Lewis brothers (who aren't really twins, but just act like it), Julian and Jeremy (played by real-life siblings Llyr Evans and Rhys Ifans), discuss the likelihood that TWIN TOWN will be well- received in America. Cue the opening credits. Unfortunately, the movie's satirical sophistication never again approaches this level. The world we're plunged into is gray and flat, and Allen's presentation of it is too-often uninspired. Outlandishness for its own sake isn't interesting, just as a film's status as a "black comedy" doesn't excuse its multitude of flaws. TRAINSPOTTING was an explosion of creative edginess; TWIN TOWN rarely provokes anything more enthusiastic than a yawn.
Allen's movie, which takes place in Swansea, Wales (called, appropriately enough, "the graveyard of ambition" by Dylan Thomas), introduces us to a cast of characters who could have been lifted out of a bad MONTY PYTHON sketch (one of those where you wonder how such a talented troupe could come up with something so unfunny). In spite of their car-stealing hobby, glue-sniffing habits, and violent tendencies, the de facto protagonists, Julian and Jeremy, are easily the two most dreary people that we meet (the director has aptly described them as intentionally two-dimensional). Equally outlandish, but only slightly more intriguing, are their mother (Di Botcher), their father (Huw Ceredig), and their trash-talking, prostitute sister (Rachel Scorgie). A couple of crooked cops, Greyo and Terry (Dorien Thomas and Dougray Scott), are always on the lookout for a way to make some quick cash, even if it involves drug-dealing and frame-ups. Terry is actually working for Bryn Cartwright (William Thomas), the closest thing Swansea has to a crime lord. Also thrown into the mix are Cartwright's daughter, Bonny (Jenny Evans), and a self-proclaimed Karaoke King (Brian Hibbard).
Things get underway when the twins' father breaks a leg falling off a ladder doing a construction job for Cartwright, who refuses to offer any kind of compensation. The incensed boys decide on a childish-but- repugnant form of revenge, which Cartwright takes very personally. Soon, the feud has gotten out of hand, with dogs being beheaded and humans blown up.
TWIN TOWN commits a black comedy cardinal sin by believing that it's a lot more incisive and funny than it actually is. In fact, the term "boring" wouldn't be out of place as a descriptor of the endless first half. That's because, at least early on, TWIN TOWN is just about a bunch of off-putting, undeveloped characters doing a variety of dodgy things. We've seen it all before; it's time to offer a new twist. The dialogue is passably interesting for only one reason: it's easily the most profane I have ever encountered on screen (there are something like 500 uses of the "f" word, or one of its permutations). The plot -- or what passes for one -- is pointless and occasionally muddled (especially near the beginning). The good news is that TWIN TOWN gets markedly better during its second half. By that time, however, will anyone care?
TWIN TOWN invites comparisons to other movies because it's not absorbing enough on its own to grab an audience's attention. None of the characters are of great interest and the acting is of variable quality. The film apparently played well overseas, which is good for its financial stability, because it's unlikely to make much of a dent in the summer box office on this side of the Atlantic. For a movie that deals with doubles, TWIN TOWN barely has half of what it needs to make for compelling viewing.
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@bc.cybernex.net ReelViews web site: http://www.cybernex.net/~berardin
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