SNL alums Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader reteam for Craig Johnson’s The Skeleton Twins, a meaty little love story with sibling rivalry and family dysfunction as its central themes. You’d be forgiven for expecting this to be a riotous comedy. After all, it does star one of the funniest women on the planet as well as an actor with proven comedic instincts. But, while it does feature plenty of laughable elements (albeit mostly black humor), it’s more about the real-life drama inherent within the bittersweet dynamic of the sibling bond. In other words, yes, The Skeleton Twins is funny, but more importantly, it’s real. Sometimes painfully real.

Dental hygienist Maggie (Wiig) and frustrated actor/waiter brother Milo (Hader) haven’t spoken in a decade and live on opposite sides of the country. Once inseparable, the siblings grew apart after their teen years when the family was stricken by their father’s sudden death. But they’re soon reunited when Maggie’s attempt to down a handful of sleeping pills is interrupted by her brother’s call from the hospital where he is recovering from having slit his wrists. Milo accepts his sister’s offer to return to their hometown in upstate New York where she lives with “nice guy” husband Lance (Luke Wilson).

Once together in Maggie’s house, the siblings quickly get back to their childhood shenanigans like goofing off with the nitrous oxide tank at her dental office or doing silly impromptu lip-synch dances to Starship’s “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now.” All seems well, but the pair must eventually face the demons of what sent them off the rails and into a suicidal death spiral in the first place. The longer they spend together, the more it becomes evident they really need each other.

Johnson, known in Hollywood circles as one of those directors who sticks very closely to the script, loosened up a bit during filming. Knowing he had a powerhouse comedy duo, he allowed Hader and Wiig to riff a bit on their lines. The result is truly remarkable realism as many of the film’s moments are lough-out-loud funny and tear-jerkingly heart crushing… often in the same scene. Finding that perfect balance of comedy and drama -- especially in a film that takes on such potent topics -- is a difficult task for a filmmaker, but Johnson’s tone appears spot on as he perfectly counters every scene of near-pathetic despondency with just the right amount of levity.

Credit must also be given to Wiig and Hader. They are perfectly matched as the pair of severely wounded birds looking for comfort that can only come from a fellow family member. With few exceptions, comedic actors often struggle when crossing over into drama roles. Though it’s typically more difficult for dramatic actors to transition into comedy, Jim Carrey, Robin Williams, and even Adam Sandler have pulled off the feat. Wiig and Hader now join the list as their remarkable chemistry often allows us to overlook some of the script’s shortcomings, namely its uneven use of flashbacks and over-abundant genre tropes.

TY Burrell as Milo’s gay lover from the past and Luke Wilson as Maggie’s well-meaning but childishly doltish husband turn in brilliant performances as well. Joanna Gleason appears as Maggie and Milo’s self-absorbed mother we grow to loathe from the first moment we lay eyes on her.

The Skeleton Twins, a superbly written film, touches nearly every human emotion while highlighting career-best performances from an eclectic cast.

(Released by Roadside Attractions and rated “R” for language, some sexuality and drug use.)

Review also posted at www.franksreelreviews.com.