The best part of the movie is the eye candy, right? That is Timothy Granaderos. That alone made the movie watchable. He actually does a decent job doing double duty as both twins. The rest of the acting wasn't believable at all. The plot is completely predictable. From the begining of the movie, you know how it's going to end. It's very much a made for TV movie, however, it doesn't try to be anything more than that. Perhaps, I have been spoiled by Netflix. Aside from the cell phones and the tablet, the movie has a very 1990's vibe. The cars, the clothing, the decor. Nothing is modern. I got the feeling that this movie was very low budget. All in all, it's very middle of the road, made watchable by a good looking actor. But then again, why not just watch "13 Reasons Why," whereby you get to see a lot more of the goodies.
16 Reviews
One of the twins needs a beard...
vnssyndrome8925 July 2023
THE TWIN (TV Movie 2017)
BASIC PLOT: Jocelyn (Jess Gabor) has just returned home from college. She's here to celebrate her mother's birthday, but also to introduce her new boyfriend, Tyler (Timothy Granaderos). He's handsome, considerate and pre-med. They are even taking a trip to Japan next semester, and learning Japanese together. He seems perfect, but Ashley (Brigid Brannagh), Jocelyn's mother, has some reservations about Tyler. She's concerned about the recent loss of Tyler's family in a car accident, and how it might affect him. Ashley's new friend, Jake (Louis Mandylor), tells her not to worry so much, and to let Jocelyn spread her wings and fly. That may be good advice, but Ashley's intuition is telling her something is wrong. After a recent errand, Tyler has not been acting like himself. He suddenly likes mayonnaise, he forgets Jake's name, and doesn't know any of the Japanese he's learned with Jocelyn.
Ashley is becoming increasingly suspicious of this new behavior. She finds a hospital bracelet in 'Tyler's' pockets, and strange drugs in his drawer. A search of the name on the bracelet leads her to a twin brother who also says he's Tyler Wells. Can Ashley discover which twin is evil, in time to save her daughter?
WHAT WORKS: *Derek begins his 'delusion' of being Tyler, a month before his breakout. This is an ingenious plan, if he wants to steal Tyler's identity.
*Fred Olen Ray is a perfect director for this type of crazy melodrama. He knows how to take a little, and make a lot of of it.
*There are three types of movies on Lifetime. This is the second type, melodrama. According to dictionary. C o m, the definition of melodrama is "a dramatic form that does not observe the laws of cause and effect and that exaggerates emotion and emphasizes plot or action at the expense of characterization."
In other words, this is a PERFECT MELODRAMA. The characters are not so well defined, but their motives are. If you watch this movie with that in mind, you'll like it a whole lot more. You're not supposed to take the over-the-top motives too seriously, it's pure silly entertainment. STOP LOOKING FOR EMMYS FROM LIFETIME MOVIES!
WHAT DOESN'T WORK: *When Ashley (Brigid Brannagh) discovers a hospital bracelet in "Tyler's" pocket, she does an internet search, and comes up with sensitive medical information. This is highly unlikely. Police reports are public information, but all personal information are put in 'supplemental reports', so the public can't access it. Also, someone's hospital status, would only be accessible to relatives, not to anyone with a computer. This makes Ashley's discovery a bit of a deus ex machina, and suspends the disbelief of the viewer.
*Jocelyn dumps 'Tyler' at the first sign of trouble. This is not a psychology valid response. Most women, even young women, tend to nurture, even at the expense of their own feelings and needs. The speech Jocelyn gives 'Tyler' is not badly written, but it is a man's speech, not a woman's.
*Roger Stigliano and Michael Waite need to learn how to write women. Step one, not all women have glass jaws, so stop writing them that way!
TRIVIA: The three Buddha's on the table appear in many Lifetime movies.
TO RECOMMEND, OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION: *IF you can understand the art form that is melodrama, and you like that type of entertainment, you'll like this. If you are looking for lots of believable characters and motives in your TV movies, then give this a pass.
CLOSING NOTES: *This is a Made-For-TV movie, please keep that in mind before you watch\rate it. TV movies have a much lower budget, and so your expectations should be adjusted.
*I have no connection to the film, or production in ANY way. I am just an honest viewer, who wishes for more straight forward reviews. Hope I helped you out.
BASIC PLOT: Jocelyn (Jess Gabor) has just returned home from college. She's here to celebrate her mother's birthday, but also to introduce her new boyfriend, Tyler (Timothy Granaderos). He's handsome, considerate and pre-med. They are even taking a trip to Japan next semester, and learning Japanese together. He seems perfect, but Ashley (Brigid Brannagh), Jocelyn's mother, has some reservations about Tyler. She's concerned about the recent loss of Tyler's family in a car accident, and how it might affect him. Ashley's new friend, Jake (Louis Mandylor), tells her not to worry so much, and to let Jocelyn spread her wings and fly. That may be good advice, but Ashley's intuition is telling her something is wrong. After a recent errand, Tyler has not been acting like himself. He suddenly likes mayonnaise, he forgets Jake's name, and doesn't know any of the Japanese he's learned with Jocelyn.
Ashley is becoming increasingly suspicious of this new behavior. She finds a hospital bracelet in 'Tyler's' pockets, and strange drugs in his drawer. A search of the name on the bracelet leads her to a twin brother who also says he's Tyler Wells. Can Ashley discover which twin is evil, in time to save her daughter?
WHAT WORKS: *Derek begins his 'delusion' of being Tyler, a month before his breakout. This is an ingenious plan, if he wants to steal Tyler's identity.
*Fred Olen Ray is a perfect director for this type of crazy melodrama. He knows how to take a little, and make a lot of of it.
*There are three types of movies on Lifetime. This is the second type, melodrama. According to dictionary. C o m, the definition of melodrama is "a dramatic form that does not observe the laws of cause and effect and that exaggerates emotion and emphasizes plot or action at the expense of characterization."
In other words, this is a PERFECT MELODRAMA. The characters are not so well defined, but their motives are. If you watch this movie with that in mind, you'll like it a whole lot more. You're not supposed to take the over-the-top motives too seriously, it's pure silly entertainment. STOP LOOKING FOR EMMYS FROM LIFETIME MOVIES!
WHAT DOESN'T WORK: *When Ashley (Brigid Brannagh) discovers a hospital bracelet in "Tyler's" pocket, she does an internet search, and comes up with sensitive medical information. This is highly unlikely. Police reports are public information, but all personal information are put in 'supplemental reports', so the public can't access it. Also, someone's hospital status, would only be accessible to relatives, not to anyone with a computer. This makes Ashley's discovery a bit of a deus ex machina, and suspends the disbelief of the viewer.
*Jocelyn dumps 'Tyler' at the first sign of trouble. This is not a psychology valid response. Most women, even young women, tend to nurture, even at the expense of their own feelings and needs. The speech Jocelyn gives 'Tyler' is not badly written, but it is a man's speech, not a woman's.
*Roger Stigliano and Michael Waite need to learn how to write women. Step one, not all women have glass jaws, so stop writing them that way!
TRIVIA: The three Buddha's on the table appear in many Lifetime movies.
TO RECOMMEND, OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION: *IF you can understand the art form that is melodrama, and you like that type of entertainment, you'll like this. If you are looking for lots of believable characters and motives in your TV movies, then give this a pass.
CLOSING NOTES: *This is a Made-For-TV movie, please keep that in mind before you watch\rate it. TV movies have a much lower budget, and so your expectations should be adjusted.
*I have no connection to the film, or production in ANY way. I am just an honest viewer, who wishes for more straight forward reviews. Hope I helped you out.
It's alright
brookenichole-980547 May 2020
The Twin is not great. First of all, why couldn't they get real twins? It had to have been so annoying having to shoot with the same guy and switch constantly. The writing was not great either. The story was meh and led to a bad buildup. Most Lifetime movies are funny but this was just bland.
TV movie... Nothing more
williamsteam6 November 2018
I can only believe that those who gave this a high rating ether worked on it, knew someone who worked on it... Or was paid to write reviews. This is a bad TV movie so don't waste your time. So many idiotic decisions... Unrealistic.
Hilariously awful
dizzeness14 April 2020
This has to be the worst pile of rubbish that I've ever had the misfortune to watch. Moronic plotline, completely disjointed directing and dreadful acting. Even if it was a deliberate spoof of the genre it would still be awful - seriously, a school kid could do better!
Unless you're completely smashed or braindead, avoid this nonsense
No Way
hoops-534363 July 2022
Any movie that is based on one twin taking the other twin's identity is just a load of crap. There would be enough differences that they would be detected- especially if the real twin had been in the sack with a woman. Since this is LMN you can bet they have been in the sack. She would know the difference.
Sadly, in this flick, the daughter picks up some clues but refuses to take a ride on the clue bus. The mother takes the big clue bus ride but then backs down.
Two words for this film- NO WAY!
Sadly, in this flick, the daughter picks up some clues but refuses to take a ride on the clue bus. The mother takes the big clue bus ride but then backs down.
Two words for this film- NO WAY!
Finally a Lifetime twin movie (with brothers!) that makes sense
CranberriAppl8 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Lifetime is super iffy on twin stories. In most of them, the set up and the plot doesn't make the deception believable. For example, husbands and wives that don't realize something is "off" with their spouse after sleeping with them (not even an inkling. Come on). Or twins that are estranged and haven't seen each other in forever, yet have the same hair color and cut (bc it's one actor).
This one is believable because it's not just that the twin happened to show up, but he's been plotting the whole time to replace his brother. These are also twins that grew up together. In a lot of Lifetime twin tales, the two were either adopted separately and don't know each other exists or they're so estranged that there's no way they are similar. Even though Derek is not "great" at being Tyler and does slip up (but hand waves his mistakes), he still knows his brother.
There are some things you have to believe in order for the movie to work...like wouldn't the girlfriend have picked up on the surface changes in her boyfriend? Mood, temperament, etc? She eventually gets it. I do like how the mom didn't know Tyler, so there's at least one character that isn't completely fooled. Again, I know it's a Lifetime movie, but in a situation like this, wouldn't the hospital somehow have protocols to make sure this does not happen? Obviously a twin would likely not want to replace their sibling in a mental hospital, but surely they'd check to make sure the right one is there at night after a visit? When Tyler does get released, they solve it so easily that...why didn't you verify his identify in the first place?! The nurse mentions that distinguishing marks is part of intake. It's sort of explained that Derek constantly claims to be Tyler, so I get that, but if Tyler visits often, you'd think they wouldn't want the liability of not being sure Derek is the patient. Again, yes, it's a tv movie, but one's mind can't help but think about what would be the likely natural course of action.
I liked that the "twin-ship" is not a secret for long, and that we don't have to wait for in the last fifteen minutes. It is sort of funny that in at least three of these movies, it's a birthmark/tattoo/mole that a twin has that would set them apart. The other characters falling victim (outside of the hospital staff) don't do anything TOO stupid like we typically see. Once the characters realize there IS a twin out there, they are skeptical and searching for the truth. I'll admit I was a bit terrified for Jocelyn when she tried to break up with him, and it was clear she knew it wasn't her bf and just wanted to get away from him, but also knew Derek was unstable. That moment felt truly tense and as if he would have hurt her had she revealed she knew it wasn't Tyler. It was a rare moment for Lifetime. If she wasn't one of the main characters (and necessary for the climax), I could totally see that scene ending in a death if it were another red shirt type of character.
It's not flawless, but it's watchable. As I mention in other reviews, I am glad there was no additional body count because it wasn't necessary. The movie does flashback to what happened, and it alludes to Derek hating his brother, but I think a flashback to when they were little would have added better context. When the twins meet up in the climax (not a spoiler...it was inevitable), it seems like a perception thing that Derek felt less loved and therefore jealous/hurt. I think a childhood scene showing why he thought that would have added depth. A key difference btwn the two comes back to help determine who's who (predictable but it made the clear distinction), so the movie doesn't try to play with "did the right twin go back to the hospital?" Which I appreciated.
The plot moves pretty fast, it's not dragging on, so that's appreciated. Damning with faint praise...yes I know.
PS. This movie aired this weekend as part of a "twin" event that Lifetime was doing (not new movies) and this is the second one with a brother named Derrick/Derek. Surely Lifetime can use a randomizer and choose different names lol.
This one is believable because it's not just that the twin happened to show up, but he's been plotting the whole time to replace his brother. These are also twins that grew up together. In a lot of Lifetime twin tales, the two were either adopted separately and don't know each other exists or they're so estranged that there's no way they are similar. Even though Derek is not "great" at being Tyler and does slip up (but hand waves his mistakes), he still knows his brother.
There are some things you have to believe in order for the movie to work...like wouldn't the girlfriend have picked up on the surface changes in her boyfriend? Mood, temperament, etc? She eventually gets it. I do like how the mom didn't know Tyler, so there's at least one character that isn't completely fooled. Again, I know it's a Lifetime movie, but in a situation like this, wouldn't the hospital somehow have protocols to make sure this does not happen? Obviously a twin would likely not want to replace their sibling in a mental hospital, but surely they'd check to make sure the right one is there at night after a visit? When Tyler does get released, they solve it so easily that...why didn't you verify his identify in the first place?! The nurse mentions that distinguishing marks is part of intake. It's sort of explained that Derek constantly claims to be Tyler, so I get that, but if Tyler visits often, you'd think they wouldn't want the liability of not being sure Derek is the patient. Again, yes, it's a tv movie, but one's mind can't help but think about what would be the likely natural course of action.
I liked that the "twin-ship" is not a secret for long, and that we don't have to wait for in the last fifteen minutes. It is sort of funny that in at least three of these movies, it's a birthmark/tattoo/mole that a twin has that would set them apart. The other characters falling victim (outside of the hospital staff) don't do anything TOO stupid like we typically see. Once the characters realize there IS a twin out there, they are skeptical and searching for the truth. I'll admit I was a bit terrified for Jocelyn when she tried to break up with him, and it was clear she knew it wasn't her bf and just wanted to get away from him, but also knew Derek was unstable. That moment felt truly tense and as if he would have hurt her had she revealed she knew it wasn't Tyler. It was a rare moment for Lifetime. If she wasn't one of the main characters (and necessary for the climax), I could totally see that scene ending in a death if it were another red shirt type of character.
It's not flawless, but it's watchable. As I mention in other reviews, I am glad there was no additional body count because it wasn't necessary. The movie does flashback to what happened, and it alludes to Derek hating his brother, but I think a flashback to when they were little would have added better context. When the twins meet up in the climax (not a spoiler...it was inevitable), it seems like a perception thing that Derek felt less loved and therefore jealous/hurt. I think a childhood scene showing why he thought that would have added depth. A key difference btwn the two comes back to help determine who's who (predictable but it made the clear distinction), so the movie doesn't try to play with "did the right twin go back to the hospital?" Which I appreciated.
The plot moves pretty fast, it's not dragging on, so that's appreciated. Damning with faint praise...yes I know.
PS. This movie aired this weekend as part of a "twin" event that Lifetime was doing (not new movies) and this is the second one with a brother named Derrick/Derek. Surely Lifetime can use a randomizer and choose different names lol.
Potential
gettintough15 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
It coukd of been a contender. It is just that once she realized there was a twin brother snd the one she's with is acting way out of the norm; who does not investigate. I like Louis Mandylor but his part seems so watered down Seems he would have caught on when Derek answered the door with no recognition. Hence a medium rating . Just coukd have been made more believable. The hospital head snd staff being absolutely clueless, no checks in place when a twin is visiting? There's always slight variations, so easily checked for on occasion. Plus are there no video cameras in place? On that note it was a good story line.
What more do you expect, it's a TV movie
iiss-0262226 July 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This movie is bad and cringy, which is exactly why it's a TV movie. The plot is somewhat interesting, but the execution is poor. The story begins with Derek manufacturing a car crash that kills his parents and girlfriend; and ending up in a mental institution soon afterwards. Derek's twin brother Tyler joins girlfriend Jocelyn, neighbor Jake, for her mother Ashely's birthday dinner. During dinner, the young couple reveal that they're going overseas for an independent study trip in Japan. During the hospital visit, Derek attacks Tyler, swapped their clothes, and escapes. Now Derek, the evil twin, pretends to be Tyler and returns to the real world. Of course, everyone is too lacking in intelligence to be able to figure this out or do something about it. They just go on about their life until Derek drugs Jocelyn and takes her to his family cabin in attempt to rape her and murder her. The mental institution then discovers that the locked up one is actually Tyler not Derek because of a distinct birth mark. At this point, you may wonder, how have these people not figured this whole thing out already. Let me kindly remind you that this is a TV movie, kay? Moving on with the story, Derek then ties Jocelyn up in the cabin. At this crucial moment, the mom, Jake, and Tyler arrive soon and save the day.
The Trigger-Happy Twin
lavatch17 April 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Derek and Tyler are identical twins. Tyler is an upstanding young man in love with Jocelyn. Derek is a complete nut case incarcerated in a mental hospital after his reckless driving led to the deaths of a young woman named Maggie and both of his parents.
Tyler pays a well-intentioned visit to the hospital to raise the spirits of his deranged brother, who promptly conks him over the head and switches clothes. While Tyler is unable to convince the medical staff that a switch occurred, Derek assumes Tyler's identity with the goal of taking over where Tyler left off with his girlfriend Jocelyn.
While there was good tension and suspense in the film, there were also some significant lapses. The actor who played both twins was credible in delineating nuances that differentiated the characters of Tyler and Derek. While the audience instantly could tell the twins apart, Tyler's girlfriend Jocelyn was inexplicably blind to the realities of the switch. She should have intuitively recognized that Derek lacked Tyler's sensitivity. His touch would have been different. Even his smell, arriving unshowered from a nut house, should have alerted her to the switch. She absolutely should have recognized that these twins are not necessarily "identical."
There was also a major problem in plotting and continuity after Tyler had failed in multiple escape attempts from the hospital. The lead psychiatrist and the nurses were hopeless in failing to recognize that Tyler's demeanor was different from Derek's. But, suddenly, the psychiatrist and a hospital administrator inform Tyler that they have made a horrible mistake and he is free to leave! There was no explanation or the slightest bit of exposition about how they learned the truth about Derek's escape.
While the performances were excellent, especially the actress playing Jocelyn's over-protective mother Ashley, the ending seemed like a routine meet-up in a cabin with a trigger-happy Derek wielding a rifle he stole from Ashley's neighbor Jake. While out in a shooting range, Jake learned that it was not a good idea to get in front of Derek while he is holding a rifle. And the other characters learned much too late that it is not wise to get in a car when Derek is behind the wheel.
Tyler pays a well-intentioned visit to the hospital to raise the spirits of his deranged brother, who promptly conks him over the head and switches clothes. While Tyler is unable to convince the medical staff that a switch occurred, Derek assumes Tyler's identity with the goal of taking over where Tyler left off with his girlfriend Jocelyn.
While there was good tension and suspense in the film, there were also some significant lapses. The actor who played both twins was credible in delineating nuances that differentiated the characters of Tyler and Derek. While the audience instantly could tell the twins apart, Tyler's girlfriend Jocelyn was inexplicably blind to the realities of the switch. She should have intuitively recognized that Derek lacked Tyler's sensitivity. His touch would have been different. Even his smell, arriving unshowered from a nut house, should have alerted her to the switch. She absolutely should have recognized that these twins are not necessarily "identical."
There was also a major problem in plotting and continuity after Tyler had failed in multiple escape attempts from the hospital. The lead psychiatrist and the nurses were hopeless in failing to recognize that Tyler's demeanor was different from Derek's. But, suddenly, the psychiatrist and a hospital administrator inform Tyler that they have made a horrible mistake and he is free to leave! There was no explanation or the slightest bit of exposition about how they learned the truth about Derek's escape.
While the performances were excellent, especially the actress playing Jocelyn's over-protective mother Ashley, the ending seemed like a routine meet-up in a cabin with a trigger-happy Derek wielding a rifle he stole from Ashley's neighbor Jake. While out in a shooting range, Jake learned that it was not a good idea to get in front of Derek while he is holding a rifle. And the other characters learned much too late that it is not wise to get in a car when Derek is behind the wheel.
Actually quite believable
phd_travel3 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This is one of the better Lifetime thrillers. It's actually believable. A concerned mother is worried about her 18 year old daughter and her new boyfriend. Things are moving fast and they want to go an a trip. But little does she know there is a twin and evil twin brother. The evil one had killed their parents in a car crash and then switches place with the good one during a visit. Of course the idiot daughter still won't think there is much wrong after the switch even when the evil one acts more aggressive. It's a little frustrating how long it takes for the good one to prove he is who he is but if it were any faster the story would be over. Anyway the direction is quite swift and things proceed to a satisfying conclusion. Brigid Branagh is the concerned mother. The guy who plays the twins is quite good. Even though they don't have a different hair style or anything you can tell them apart.
Good Movie
sweeney-james1 February 2017
Warning: Spoilers
While the story of twins has been used multiple times this was quite enjoyable. The way the evil twin (Derek) set the tone by continually claiming to be his brother Tyler set up Tyler so that when the actual Derek pulled off the change of places everyone was so used to the claim "I am Tyler" everyone ignored the complaint. The hospital staff totally ignored the complaints of the normal brother and as usual there solution was to either tie him down or drug him. The mother was always suspicious but the girl friend seemed oblivious. The question would be after that has happened it would seem the mother would be concerned about insanity in the family. Overall fast paced and interesting even is a bit predictable.
***
edwagreen18 January 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Why in the name of heaven wasn't a blood test taken to see that the complaints of the twin being held as his psychotic brother was all true? It took more than half of the film until this was done and then we see the mental hospital full of making apologies for not believing the normal brother. The head nurse there looked like she could have played Nurse Ratched in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."
We're dealing with an evil twin ran his car off the road, killing his parents and girlfriend, he believed that the girl loved his brother and that the parents favored the brother.
Not only does he change places with the brother, but he goes to the home of the latter's girlfriend and her mother becomes suspicious at once when she witnesses unusual behavior. One inmate at the asylum believed that the brother had changed places in the tradition that sometimes the patients of medical institutions are more attuned than the professionals working there. This all comes with the mother, abandoned by her husband 10 years before, begins a budding relationship with her neighbor. The latter even gives a gun to our impostor for shooting practice. With it all, total mayhem is finally avoided.
We're dealing with an evil twin ran his car off the road, killing his parents and girlfriend, he believed that the girl loved his brother and that the parents favored the brother.
Not only does he change places with the brother, but he goes to the home of the latter's girlfriend and her mother becomes suspicious at once when she witnesses unusual behavior. One inmate at the asylum believed that the brother had changed places in the tradition that sometimes the patients of medical institutions are more attuned than the professionals working there. This all comes with the mother, abandoned by her husband 10 years before, begins a budding relationship with her neighbor. The latter even gives a gun to our impostor for shooting practice. With it all, total mayhem is finally avoided.
Dumb!
BudoSenpai4 November 2022
How many times has this type of movie been done and failed ? What an awful boring story, just outright dumb! And the acting was just as bad. This should have been a horror movie because those nurses were sure scary looking. This was like watching a bad daytime soap opera.
The daughter could have easily spoken Japanese right from the very beginning when her mother suspected the evil brother wasn't Tyler and it would have been over with. But no, why not wait to the very end and start blabbing a few words from the cue cards. Someone was supposed to have at least gotten shot. The only thing I liked about this movie was Jake's Benz. Okay.
The daughter could have easily spoken Japanese right from the very beginning when her mother suspected the evil brother wasn't Tyler and it would have been over with. But no, why not wait to the very end and start blabbing a few words from the cue cards. Someone was supposed to have at least gotten shot. The only thing I liked about this movie was Jake's Benz. Okay.
Right Wins Out in the End in This Must See Thriller
robert23-116 March 2018
Warning: Spoilers
The current overall rating for this movie is absolutely an insult. Yes, the
ending is predictable but the movie itself was a joy to watch. Although
the performances of the actresses playing the mother & daughter & the actor playing the next door neighbour were commendable, it is the superb performance of Timothy Granaderos playing the twins, especially Derek the evil one and Tyler, that makes this movie a must see! Although a former model, it is his acting skills that shine through! I look forward to watching more performances by Timothy. Kudos to the casting department. Another of Hollywood's up & coming talent!!
Very good movie but not much action
NotASmartCritic4 November 2018
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
