In a sentenceArnold Schwarzenegger being nervous about romance is a better joke than most of the ones somebody actually wrote
Julius Benedict (Arnold Schwarzenegger) comes to the rescue of Vincent Benedict (Danny DeVito), a man with whom he shares a surname but little physical resemblance. Julius has a gentle manner, while Vincent is the more restless presence. Romance gives Julius a different sort of difficulty, with an awkwardness his imposing size does nothing to disguise. Marnie Mason (Kelly Preston) and Linda Mason (Chloe Webb) also enter the picture, along with Mary Ann Benedict (Bonnie Bartlett). The two men make an unlikely pairing as Julius attempts to help Vincent and negotiate his own uncertainty about attraction.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s gentle awkwardness and Danny DeVito’s energy make Twins pleasant company. Ivan Reitman’s comedy has too few good jokes to sustain its premise, but the leads give it a modest charm.
Twins is an amiable comedy with a thin supply of jokes, sustained by two actors who make a surprisingly agreeable pair. Ivan Reitman gets enough pleasure from their differences to justify some indulgence, though 107 minutes asks for rather a lot of it. We would keep this one for an evening when the company matters more than the story. The pleasure lies in watching Arnold Schwarzenegger take his character’s feelings seriously while Danny DeVito supplies the restless energy.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s gentleness is the useful surprise. His Julius Benedict can be awkward without becoming a figure of contempt, and his size makes that uncertainty funnier without being the whole joke. We laughed at his tentative approach to romance, because he makes the effort to get things right more endearing than any display of competence would be. There is a sweet performance here, and the comedy improves whenever it gives that performance room.
Danny DeVito gives Vincent Benedict a more impatient comic presence, pushing against his co-star’s sincerity. His physical energy is welcome, particularly when the writing seems content to remind us that these men look different. The pairing works because both performers appear committed to the people they are playing, even when the material barely extends beyond the premise. We would happily spend longer with them in a better script.
The screenplay is credited to Herschel Weingrod, William Osborne, William Davies and Timothy Harris, and it does not find enough variations on its central idea. Predictability need not spoil this sort of comedy: familiar situations can still produce an unexpected response or a good line. Here, too much depends on the actors providing that extra lift themselves. The result stays pleasant for considerable stretches without becoming especially funny, which is a material shortcoming in a comedy.
Andrzej Bartkowiak’s cinematography gives the physical contrast a clear, unfussy presentation, which is what the joke needs. James D. Bissell’s production design is similarly unobtrusive; the surroundings seldom offer anything as amusing as the men occupying them. That restraint suits the performances, although we might have welcomed a little more comic business beyond the leads. The film looks sufficiently comfortable, but visual polish does not give a thin scene much extra life.
The editing, by Donn Cambern and Sheldon Kahn, cannot quite disguise the gaps between worthwhile laughs. At 107 minutes, the film is not extravagantly long, yet its repeated reliance on the same contrast makes it feel stretched. The music by Randy Edelman and Georges Delerue supports the agreeable mood without making the slower passages any more engaging. There are stretches when we notice how hard the performers are working to keep a modest scene alive.
Against the demands of an odd-couple comedy, Twins gets the casting right and leaves too much of the rest to chance. Its affection for its characters prevents the physical joke from turning sour, and that counts for something. It is easy to understand the appeal while wishing the writing had been less satisfied with its starting point. Choose it for the leads, with modest expectations of the jokes.
The reviews are divided, with more reservations than recommendations, but praise repeatedly centres on the pairing of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. Even the less persuaded critics find something worthwhile in their comic contrast and charm. Schwarzenegger’s gentler side draws particular approval: Variety singles out his tender comic performance, alongside DeVito’s energetic physicality. Radio Times also praises DeVito and finds Schwarzenegger’s awkward first attempt at romance especially effective.
The split is over whether that pairing supplies enough laughs to sustain the film. The enthusiastic reviews find that a single comic idea works; the detractors describe scarce good jokes, predictable writing and a premise that promises more than it delivers. The spread is wide, rather than a cluster of mildly differing verdicts. There is, however, a limit to the evidence: one of the six listed reviews is unavailable, so its specific judgement cannot be confirmed.
Berry calls it a rare one-joke comedy that works. She praises DeVito’s performance and highlights Schwarzenegger’s awkward first attempt at romance.
Read the full review →The critic finds the film a nutty, entertaining success. Schwarzenegger’s tender comic performance is singled out as a delightful surprise, while DeVito brings energetic physicality to his role.
Read the full review →The page content is unavailable, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. No specific praise or complaint can be confirmed.
Read the full review →The review finds the slick comedy too tightly constrained to work consistently. It works best when it leans into the odd pairing of Schwarzenegger and DeVito.
Read the full review →The critic finds the film a missed opportunity that fails to make its comic premise amusing enough. They praise the actors’ potential and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s charm, but complain that good jokes are too scarce.
Read the full review →Wilmington finds the film largely predictable and poorly written, despite its stars’ charm. He singles out the comic contrast between Schwarzenegger and DeVito as the film’s strongest feature.
Read the full review →
The Odd Couple · not reviewed yetDomestic habits give two incompatible men enough material for sustained comic warfare.
The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe · not reviewed yetA guileless man causes trouble simply by being taken too seriously.
Local HeroA gentler outsider comedy, attentive to awkwardness and people talking past each other.
Midnight RunAnother mismatched partnership, with sharper friction and considerably more reliable jokes.
The GuardAbrasive manners and reluctant cooperation give this mismatched partnership a harder edge.
Free account
Two lists that know where things are streaming, collections you can share, your own score beside ours, and Discover that remembers what you have seen.
