Bonds are great – and not just the James kind. Some of the strongest bonds can be found in siblings, specifically identical twins, who share more than just a 100% genetic blueprint but can also develop a secret language that only they can understand.

James Sweeney, in his second film, that he writes, directs, and co-stars in, examines the world of being a twin, and more accurately, the abuse of this special bond.

Going through a rough time in Portland, Oregon, is Roman (Dylan O’Brien); he’s currently in grief, from losing his identical brother Rocky, who was recently tragically killed.

To try and cope with it, Roman decides to attend a very specific support group, which is for twins who have lost their identical sibling.

It’s there that he meets Dennis (Sweeney), and they connect through their mutual loss and become friends. However, Roman isn’t aware that Dennis isn’t being entirely honest as to his attendance of the group and has quite subversive, ulterior motives for being there.

The journey that Sweeney – the director – takes us on is a murky one, highlighted by some wickedly dark humour.

And although the bond between twins prominently features, what it also offers is more complex than that; it shows where grief – and guilt – can take you, including taking advantage of the grief of others for selfish reasons.

The relationship that develops between a Roman and Dennis is a fascinating one; on the surface it’s the blossoming of a friendship between two young men – one straight, one gay – that’s an odd pairing, that probably wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t the for the sharing of their grief over lost twins.

Then more layers appear, more complicated, as Dennis’ secret becoming more and more difficult to submerge.

Sweeney’s direction is impressive, especially with it being only his second feature, that is equalled by his talent as a writer; the script is often paper-cut sharp, with well defined characters. He doesn’t just let the two male leads have all the glory; there’s a role for Irish actress Aisling Franciosi, who plays Marcie, who doesn’t just develop a relationship with Roman through Dennis, but acts as a catalyst to bring the truth to light.

There’s also a very small part for Susan Park, who plays Dennis and Marcie’s boss Sage, who doesn’t have much screen time, but in Sweeney’s hands, a quirky character is created out of nothing. It’s a nice touch, one of many.

And as far-fetched as a twinless support group undeniably is, they do actually exist, supporting the saying life is stranger than fiction.

With all his different hats on, Sweeney manages to produce a compelling tale with a complex narrative, making for a kooky take on when your own identity is questioned, with life after the death of a twin.