Twin Falls Idaho

"Twin Falls Idaho" is a dream-haunter of a film! Lovingly and meticulously directed by Michael Polish and written with quiet brilliance by Mark Polish (with help from twin brother Michael), this gentle, soft-spoken film is one of the three best films of 1999. The imagery in the film is often gritty and stark, pointing out subtext to the audience without utilizing masks or shadows. It's a wonderful story about the nature of relationships; about love and marriage and "divorce"; and about the lives of those unfortunates society labels as "different", and the realization that they are not so different as society may have initially supposed. The acting is superb; the Polish brothers are completely believable as the conjoined twins Blake and Francis Falls, performing feats like deftly buttoning up each other's shirts or playing the guitar together (Blake strums while Francis manages the fret for chord changes) as if they had, indeed, done it all their lives. As the film rolled on, I found myself loving these two guys as unique and colorful individuals, and empathizing with their plight. And the often-used "Hooker with a Heart" character Penny is given new light and life by Mark Polish's careful crafting of the character and by Michelle Hicks edgy yet warm performance. If you're like me, "Twin Falls Idaho" will leave you awake nights, thinking long and long. I look forward to seeing what the Polish brothers will do next, either collaboratively or on their own.

This film is still haunting me, even long after watching it for the first time. It depicts a rare insight into the exclusivity of sibling relationships and utilises a neutral tone that ironically intensifies every second of the story. Although the movie skims slightly upon cliches, that only helps to familiarise the audience with the plot so that they don't feel too alienated by the mystery of the twins. This most certainly is a treasured oddity in the video store.

"Twin Falls, Idaho" is a very well made film with unusual depth and complex emotional content. It is absolutely a must see for anyone wanting more than your usual Hollywood fodder and fluff. A different sort of Love Story and a gritty look at a uniquely off-center topic.

The Characters are often somewhat surreal, but not to the point of being ridiculous or unbelievable, this said same surrealism serves to make the imagery and story all the more powerful. The Hopeful and "Best of Humanity" themes and messages underlying the main story are clear to anyone that watches this fine piece of work.

Casting and Cinematography are exceptional. And the stand out performance without a doubt goes to the lovely Michele Hicks as Penny as well as fine performances by Mark and Michael Polish as the Twins. One of the Best Films I have seen in quite a long time.

I caught the beginning of Twin Falls, Idaho one evening while flipping past the Independent Film Channel. I was immediately hooked by the story. The acting was absolutely riveting, and while the plot may have been slow to develop, and even a bit predictable, there was an intangible quality about it that kept my eyes glued to the screen.

Michele Hicks is brilliant in a difficult role. My heart nearly broke when she was shunned by the Falls brothers. Lesley Ann Warren was excellent as the cliche mother. But the real kudos belong to the Polish brothers, who were responsible for the writing, acting, and directing. I was convinced that the story they told was real when I first saw them. The bond they display on screen is definitely not contrived. I was completely blown away by the tenderness and understanding they shared.

All in all, one of the 5 best movies I have ever seen. It is rare for me to be so completely gripped by a movie as I was when I saw this one. And yet, I just couldn't tear myself away. 10/10

I drove sixty five miles one way to see this film and it

would have bargain at twice the distance. This film is

superbly written and acted and I see no flaws. The premise which is cojoined twins played by the Polish brothers, identical twins, is original and delivered with a poignancy that is rare. I spoke to a couple of people after the film who said they thought they would be uncomfortable with the subject and were for a couple of

minutes but then became totally involved and forgot. I

will not go into the storyline as this is a film you should enjoy as it unfolds, but I caution you to pay attention as there is alot to be appreciated in watching

the intimacy between these brothers as well as the dialogue, sometimes almost inaudible between the brothers. The film also offers analogies, puns, metaphors, and an interesting array of supporting characters. There is also alot of "hidden" humor so watch carefully. Although there is alot of sadness in the film, the overall feeling after was uplifting. This film was on my mind for days and I think it was the first thing I brought up in conversations. This is a MUST SEE for anyone that enjoys film that are not standard fare. I am

looking forward to adding it to my video collection. FOUR

STARS!!!!