Patrick Bauchau: Twin Falls Idaho




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Patrick Bauchau: Twin Falls Idaho

Twin Falls Idaho follows the lives of conjoined twins Blake and Francis Falls (Mark and Michael Polish) who come to the city to find the mother who had abandoned them. They hire a prostitute, Penny (Michele Hicks), as a birthday gift for each other. Penny overcomes her initial shock at seeing the twins and begins to appreciate them and the special bond they share. When they fall ill, she has her friend, Dr. Miles (Patrick Bauchau), treat them. Penny starts caring for them and begins to fall in love with Blake. Complications arise when Penny learns that Francis is ill. A surgeon tells her the twins must be separated in order to save Blake, leaving Blake with the decision of whether to die with his brother or risk surgery to separate them so that he can be with the woman he loves.

Twin Falls Idaho debuted as part of the American Spectrum section at The Sundance Film Festival in January 1999. The film received rave reviews after both Sundance and the movie's release to theatres in the fall of 1999. The staff of Film Threat stated, "...Twin Falls Idaho is perhaps one of the most original ideas to come out of the festival in some time.... and will be one of the big hits of the 1999 indie film world." Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan said, "...Brothers Mark and Michael Polish were eerily moving and believable as Siamese twins in Twin Falls Idaho, which they co-wrote and Michael directed." Janet Maslin of the New York Times wrote, "...Twin Falls Idaho" has style, gravity and originality to spare...It's a film that dwells as hauntingly on loneliness as it does on never actually being able to be alone." Roger Ebert gave the film a thumbs up, calling it "...powerful, original work," and "...funny, sardonic and ironic too...one of the year's best films." He called Patrick Bauchau "...always intriguing." Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly rated the film an A- saying, "With their stunning Siamese drama Twin Falls Idaho, the Polish brothers make a solid connection."

The film was given three awards at the 25th Deauville Festival of American Cinema in France. Twin Falls was awarded the Jury Prize (tie with Audrey Wells' Guinevere), the CineLive Discovery prize and the Fun Radio Trophy and was nominated for the Grand Special Prize. The movie also won the Audience Award at the Athens International Film Festival in Greece, and received nominations for an Open Palm Award at the Gothic Awards, as well as two Independent Spirit Awards nominations.