Review: Bill Hader & Kristen Wiig Successfully Take Dramatic Turns in 'The Skeleton Twins'

With a quiet, limited release and little advertising to speak of, it would be easy for you to miss "The Skeleton Twins."

Don't let that happen.

The indie seriocomedy already won Best Screenplay at Sundance, which writer/director Craig Johnson noted was ironic: In a Q&A last night at the Arclight Theatres in Hollywood, Johnson recounted the tale of this screenplay's life.

"It's been ten years almost to the day," he said, talking about how long the screenplay has been in the works. As Johnson's story goes, he and co-writer Mark Heyman submitted the script to the Sundance Writers Lab three times and were rejected all three times.

It was only later, after the two had worked on other movies and came back to the script, that they made it a reality.

The addition of former "Saturday Night Live" actors Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader to the cast likely helped in getting the movie made, even though both are cast in roles far removed from their usual fare.

The story revolves around two twins, Maggie and Milo, who reunite after 10 years apart when Milo survives a suicide attempt. From there, the twins work through their issues stemming from their past together in the town where they grew up.

If that plot sounds a bit sad, it is; or rather, it can be. "The Skeleton Twins" is the rare movie that can make you laugh hysterically in one scene and make you cry the next, as Wiig and Hader whiplash you back and forth with their impressively nuanced performances.

The two actors are as funny together as they've ever been, particularly in the scenes where Johnson allowed them to simply improvise. One scene in particular had the crowd in Hollywood last night in stitches, and Wiig revealed that Johnson "followed us around with a handheld" and "told us to just make each other laugh."

But it's the dramatic performances from both actors that will surprise you. Hader is particularly stellar as a well crafted gay character, the rare kind in cinema whose sexuality is merely a characteristic and not a definition, and who can own some of the stereotypes of gay men without being a stereotype.

Luke Wilson is also excellent as Maggie's pleasant if not oblivious husband, and "Modern Family" star Ty Burrell takes on an entirely dramatic role with gravity and depth.

Those who enjoy small, character-driven pieces will thoroughly enjoy "The Skeleton Twins," but the benefit of having these lead actors is that there's also something to be had for those who want a laugh.