NOTE: This is an edited version of my review from the Sundance Film Festival.
The rapport between Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig is obvious from their first moment together in The Skeleton Twins, and why shouldn't it be? Beyond their shared SNL history the two have delivered fantastic performances together in the past, most notably in Adventureland but also on a smaller scale in Paul. That instant chemistry is what is to be expected, but what will come as a shock to many is that it isn't solely from a comedic standpoint, but that they connect in a film heavy with issues of suicide, abuse, and infidelity.
Wiig has ventured into dramedy territory before, most recently in last year's
underwhelming Girl Most Likely, but right from the start it's clear The
Skeleton Twins is something new for both co-stars. The film begins with
estranged siblings Milo (Hader) and Maggie (Wiig) considering suicide. He's a
failed actor living in Los Angeles and dealing with a failed relationship to
another man. Maggie's in New York where she leads a life of dull normalcy,
working as a dental assistant and married to the overly-eager Lance (Luke
Wilson), described later as a "big Labrador retriever". It's a phone
call that Milo is in the hospital that stops Maggie from doing herself in, and
flying off to LA to check in on him the two speak for the first time in a decade.
The film establishes early on how close they were as children, playing dress up
and sharing a love of Halloween with their father. The reunion starts off
tense, until Milo breaks the ice with a joke about the book Marley & Me
that only those of a similar sense of humor would find funny. Humor is a
constant defensive device for both, and after she invites him to stay with her
in New York, the return to familiar territory brings back some old, very bad
habits. Milo seems to be stalking another gay man (Ty Burrell), until we learn
they share a very dark past. Maggie and Lance are attempting to have a child,
only he doesn't know she's been actively working against it and indulging in a
number of romantic affairs. 
Considering the years he spent as the flamboyantly homosexual Stefon on SNL,
one might expect Hader to go a little overboard. He never turns Milo into a
running gag, however, and is secure enough in himself to crack jokes about
being the "creepy gay uncle" or a "tragic gay cliché". Wiig
is terrific as a woman incapable of being happy, and always destined to ruin
her one shot at a comfortable life. Over time we come to learn about the
reasons for Milo and Maggie's estrangement, including the family's history of
suicide, highlighted by a memorable but sadly undeveloped appearance by their
mother, who both siblings loathe with a passion. These broken siblings seem
unable to function normally around anybody else, but they find light and
laughter in one another's company. Those are the moments when the film really
shines, especially during an impromptu lip-syncing of Journey's cornball '80s
hit, 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now'. Director Craig Johnson, working with
producers Mark and Jay Duplass, deftly balances the weightier scenes with
unexpected bursts of humor. Still, the film goes to some disturbing places
later on when we see that Maggie and Milo are as capable of being cruel as they
are sharing a few laughs.Because the film never shies away from the desperate depths of its characters, the overly tender and rushed conclusion is jarring. Nothing can completely overcome Hader and Wiig's excellence in exploring the joys and pains of such a close familial bond. If there was a film that truly puts their SNL past in the rear view mirror, The Skeleton Twins is it.
Rating: 4 out of 5
