Twin Falls Idaho (1999)

78% of critics liked it
(45 reviews)
81% of users liked it
(3,799 ratings)

Identical twin brothers Mark Polish and Michael Polish have written, directed, and starred in an emotional romance about a prostitute who falls in love with Siamese twins. The Polish Brothers play the conjoined twins Blake and Francis Falls, who are joined at the chest and thus share many vital… More Identical twin brothers Mark Polish and Michael Polish have written, directed, and starred in an emotional romance about a prostitute who falls in love with Siamese twins. The Polish Brothers play the conjoined twins Blake and Francis Falls, who are joined at the chest and thus share many vital organs. They have come to the big city to find their long-lost mother and end their suffering once and for all. As a birthday present to themselves, they hire a pretty young prostitute named Penny Michele Hicks to comfort them in their dark hotel room. Turned off at first, Penny eventually sees beyond the boys' disabilities and agrees to help them. She invites them to an underground Halloween party where they finally fit in for the first time in their lives, albeit as part of a freak show. Slowly Penny falls in love with Blake; she explores his body in such a sensual way that she is both attracted and repulsed by his deformed torso. Eventually, Blake reveals that his better half, Francis, is dying. He must choose between dying with his brother or a risky operation that would allow him to be separated and further explore the love he has experienced with Penny. Can Blake adjust to an identity of his own? Can he ever get over the guilt of abandoning his brother? Is life worth living when a part of you is gone? ~ Arthur Borman, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 50 min.
Directed By: Michael Polish
Written By: Mark Polish, Michael Polish
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Jul 30, 1999 Wide
On DVD: Jan 18, 2000
Studio: Columbia TriStar

Critic Reviews

Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
What makes it so haunting is the sensitivity to its lead characters and their unusual plight.
Anton Bitel, Eye for Film
shares its themes with Dead Ringers and A Zed & Two Noughts, even if it is not as disturbing as the former, as downright weird as the latter, or as intelligent as either.
Judith Egerton, Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)
Shares some themes with Lynch's The Elephant Man.
Luke Y. Thompson, New Times
The Polish brothers make an auspicous debut, and establish a tone -- like it or not, they've delivered on it since then.
Beth Accomando, KPBS.org
Beautiful, hypnotic film about Siamese twin brothers.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Featured Audience Ratings

Red L

Is an unusual movie. Its true, what you remember after the movie ends is the twins whispering in each other's ears.
Curtis L

Not a bad movie. The twins were fun to watch. Overall I don't give it more because I didn't connect with anyone, and I felt like I was supposed be emotional at the end and wasn't.
Chris W

Extremely compelling and intriguing. It's a haunting film, but not in an unwatchable way. It's haunting in mmore of a darkly poetic way. What makes it watchable is the fact that it doesn't seek to be exploitative and disturbing in a David Lynch sort of way. This is a… More
Extremely compelling and intriguing. It's a haunting film, but not in an unwatchable way. It's haunting in mmore of a darkly poetic way. What makes it watchable is the fact that it doesn't seek to be exploitative and disturbing in a David Lynch sort of way. This is a very interesting subject for a debut film, and a really good debut at that. The acting, especially from the three leads is really impressive, and is to be commended. This is not a film for all tastes, as there is a lack here of what most mainstream audiences crave for in a film, but as a moody, brooding, tragic love story indie/art house piece, Twin Falls Idaho succeeds immensely.
Anthony V

God bless the Polish brothers.
Leo L

A personal favorite.
Moe E

The first offering from the Polish brothers is interesting, albeit a little slow at times. Francis and Blake Falls are a pair of conjoined twins holed-up in a seedy hotel room who have hired a hooker for their birthday. Michael and Mark Polish portray the introverted twins with… More
The first offering from the Polish brothers is interesting, albeit a little slow at times. Francis and Blake Falls are a pair of conjoined twins holed-up in a seedy hotel room who have hired a hooker for their birthday. Michael and Mark Polish portray the introverted twins with seductive newcomer, Michele Hicks, as Penny the hooker. Lesley Ann Warren, Patrick Bauchau, Jon Gries, Garrett Morris and William Katt add to the cast with bit parts for each.
Eduardo C

The Polish brothers' debut film is a startlingly original (Lynchian in tone perhaps, but certainly in nothing else) yet uneven film of strange, hypnotic power. The film itself is all over the place, from intimate drama to surrealist work of art to screwball comedy but it is never… More
The Polish brothers' debut film is a startlingly original (Lynchian in tone perhaps, but certainly in nothing else) yet uneven film of strange, hypnotic power. The film itself is all over the place, from intimate drama to surrealist work of art to screwball comedy but it is never less than confident in itself. There are no cop-outs here, no compromises, merely deliberate choices that may or may not work. The bulk of the film is rich in character detail, permeated with sadness, loneliness and impending loss. The last 20 minutes are remarkably powerful. There are a few shots and visual metaphors contained here that are as heartbreaking as anything I've ever seen in film. One in particular, involving a bicycle, is permanently etched in my mind. A true work of art.
FanGirl B

If you like intellegent indepent films you have to see this film. The best of the Polish brother films.