Twin Town Twin Town (Air Date: 04/30/97)
Kevin Allen's first feature film "Twin Town" is about two drug-loving brothers who wreak havoc in the seaside Welsh town of Swansea. Co-written by director Allen, "Twin Town's" script caught the attention of "Trainspotting's" Danny Boyle who decided to co-produce the film. However while "Trainspotting's" anti-heroes are psychotically witty "Twin Town's" young twins are sadistically one dimensional. It's actually the absurdities of Swansea's town folk that actually make the film passably watchable.
Two real life brothers star as the twins Jeremy and Julian Lewis, drug and adventure loving twenty- somethings who can hotwire any moving vehicle and throughout the film, they do. They live in a hovel of a trailer home with their sister and parents. Attractive but raunchy, their sister works in a porn studio and conducts her own business on the side. Their likable veteran father, Fatty, lives for singing karaoke and building model ships. One day Fatty runs into trouble with Bryn, his wealthy powerful boss. Bryn refuses to compensate Fatty for a job related problem so it's up to the twins to vindicate their father's rightful due. But illegal and sick are the twins revenge tactics and soon enough, two Swansea corrupt cops are called in to investigate. The more evil of the two cops quickly sides with the generous Bryn and together they wage war against the twins. In "Twin Town," blackmail, revenge, and poetry whirl around in small town soap opera fashion.
The twins bash common Swansea stereotypes to satisfy those with short attention spans. Director Allen doesn't linger on sympathy evoking scenes but he does detail drugs and murder with furious care.
"Twin Town's" most deliberate part might be its ending. The twins' perform their last heinous act on a beautiful night off the shores of Swansea. This contradiction echoes Welsh poet Dylan Thomas's description of Swansea as being a "ugly lovely city." The film's appeal can be measured by the audience's ability to spot and appreciate the film's counterpoints however sophomoric, raw, and violent they are. "Twin Town" carves out its own gritty modern day three word description of Swansea.
Copyright 1997 Blue Velvet