Twin Town

Twin Town
Film poster
Directed by	Kevin Allen
Written by	Kevin Allen, Paul Durden
Starring	Llŷr Ifans, Rhys Ifans, Dorien Thomas, Dougray Scott, Buddug Williams, Ronnie Williams, Huw Ceredig, Brian Hibbard
Running time	99 min
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

This article is about the 1997 film. For twin city, see Twin Town (disambiguation).

Twin Town is a 1997 black comedy film made and set in the city of Swansea, South Wales, although some parts were filmed in Port Talbot. It was directed by Kevin Allen and was originally intended to be called Hot Dog, a hot dog van featured in a number of scenes in the film. It stars real-life brothers Rhys Ifans and Llŷr Ifans and also features Dougray Scott. In typical Hitchcock style the director appears on screen, briefly seen as a show host on a TV set in the static caravan home of the twins.

Plot

Template:Spoiler The Lewis "twins" of the title are not twins but brothers, . They spend their lives stealing cars and sniffing glue. Fatty Lewis, their father, falls from a ladder whilst doing roofing work for Bryn Cartwright. The twins attempt to demand compensation for the accident. Bryn refuses. The twins take revenge by ruining a local karaoke competition in which Bryn's daughter is singing by urinating on her during the performance. Bryn and Terry Walsh, a corrupt police detective beat up the twins. As retaliation continues, the feud spirals out of control, progressing with the beheading of the Cartwrights' pet poodle to Terry Walsh setting fire to the Lewis's mobile home and causing the deaths of the twins family culminating in the murder of Bryn at the hands of the twins in retaliation. The twins grant their father's wish of having a burial at sea. This is a rather poignant moment of the film, which is accompanied by a male voice choir, all wearing miner's helmets and singing the Welsh song "Myfanwy" out on the Mumbles pier. Fatty's coffin is draped in the Welsh flag. Meanwhile though, Terry Walsh has been gagged and bound to the sinking coffin. The twins are last seen sailing out to sea. Template:Endspoiler

Critical response

Due to the involvement of Trainspotting 's director and producer as executive producers, and to the bleak portrayal of life revolving around drugs and petty (and less petty) crime, Twin Town is often described as a "Welsh Trainspotting", a comparison which is almost equally often decried.

Time Out London described the film as "a plain misfire," but praised the brothers' performances as showing a lot of promise.[1]

The film is also noted for having many uses of the word "fuck".

Most of the original cast of the movie gave a reading of the script at the Laugharne Festival in April 2007. The performance proved to be interactive - most of the audience knew the script by heart, providing an accompanyment to the actors.

External links

• Twin Town at IMDb