OUR TRUE COLORS // A FILM REVIEW OF “EGGHEAD AND TWINKIE”
BY MATEO MORENO
Ah, it’s that age old well-worn dilemma: Boy and girl become best friends since grade school, boy harbors crush on his bestie since they’ve met, girl tells boy that she’s gay, boy accompanies girl on a road trip to meet up with a girl that she’s never met in person only on the internet and boy doesn’t know… Hmmm… The more I think about it, the less this seems like a well-worn dilemma at all. EGGHEAD & TWINKIE, the new LGBTQ+ quirky romantic comedy is, from the first moments to the end, a breath of fresh air. It’s a radiant burst of exuberance and originality, playing with typical rom-com beats and adding a freshness to it throughout. Written and Directed by Sarah Kambe Holland, it stars Sabrina Jieafa as Twinkie and Louis Tomeo as Egghead, two best friends since they were in fourth grade who are now experiencing first love, or at least first crush, at the same time. Twinkie’s parents call her Vivian, but she’s been nicknamed Twinkie and wants to stick with it, even if those who hear why don’t exactly think it’s a great backstory. This is their last summer together before Egghead moves away for college while Twinkie is still trying to figure out what she wants to do. She knows she wants to be an animator and nothing like her conservative adoptive parents but other than that… the jury is still out. However, she’s been talking to a girl online and her entire world has come alive. She decides to road trip (or run away, as she first calls it) and meet up with this mysterious online girl, a DJ named BD. She can’t drive so she convinces Egghead to take her but leaves out all of the details of the real reason she’s going. Good thing too, cause Egghead’s about to confess his love, and it’s gonna be a bumpy road of self-discovery.
Egghead and Twinkie is based off Holland’s own autobiographical short film and re-teams the two main stars with fantastic results. It’s quirky without ever trying too hard and is genuinely funny and sweet. Holland mixes 2D animation and a real fun, vibrant soundtrack which makes it all feel like it’s popping out of Twinkie’s own mind (the stellar animation sequences are created by Dillon Cefalo and Dustin Wisch). Sabrina Jieafa and Louis Tomco are both excellent in their perspective roles, harboring great comic timing and a phenomenal bond together in each and every scene. Both spend the film stealing their own scenes from each other and showcasing a sweet tenderness and playfulness that never goes away. It also never veers into problematic waters thanks to the wonderful script and winning performances. Several of the supporting characters bring a liveliness to the film, especially Asahi Hirano who is a very winning counterpart to Twinkie.
This is a story of self-discovery, of coming out, of experiencing that last summer with your best friend before everything changes. It wisely is never a “will they or won’t they” straight guy and gay girl comedy. Holland’s film is far too smart for that (and being that it’s based on her own experiences, that’s a very good thing). It’s fresh and fast paced, with both cynicism and sweetness in its core. Twinkie wants to desperately be able to identify herself as she sees fit, not how her parents or her best friend or any of the world tries to. She’s a young girl in search of a new beginning, a voice that’s still finding its depth. And I truly think that both Egghead and Twinkie will charm you all the way through its zippy 90-minute run time. Sarah Kambe Holland is a talent on the rise, and this is truly a hell of a start.
GRADE: A
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY Sarah Kambe Holland STARRING Sabrina Jieafa, Louis Tomeo PREMIERING DIGITALLY AND ON-DEMAND APRIL 29th