Austin Film Festival Movie Review: ‘Egghead & Twinkie’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

From left to right: Twinkie (Sabrina Jie-A-Fa) encourages her rule-abiding best friend, Egghead (Louis Tomeo), to go on an impromptu road trip. Photo by Olivia Wilson. Courtesy of CanBeDone Films.

This piece was written during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Without the labor of the actors currently on strike, the motion picture being covered here wouldn’t exist.
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It is definitely safe to say, that we deeply cherish the coming-of-age story and understandably so. For the day when a teenager or a young adult comes to harbor a deeper understanding of the world and their mortality and morality, is a big day. A formative one that puts them on a path toward adulthood and important discoveries untold, and that is why… so many filmmakers and writers and creatives everywhere, make these stories grandiose and powerful in nature. To capture the gravitas of the day the world makes sense to us. But while that outright celebrates that journey in a deep manner, there is one slight problem with how we cherish and present these stories. In that, by going this route often, they have in some respects… lost their way. 
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For they do at times, put this moment in a very cliché light. As though the epiphanies a character will go through when say, facing death, or heartbreak, are universal in nature. And the same goes for how they come to their understanding of the world and well… that’s just not correct. For the coming-of-age moment is vastly different for people. For some, it is subtle in nature, and for others, it’s important but not earth-shattering and doesn’t instantly change a life, and it doesn’t always have to relate to severe trauma. Thankfully though, we are in an era of storytelling now where creatives understand that and are eager to tell coming-of-age stories that reflect what the process actually looks like in life and what real teens experience when they cross that threshold, and it just so happens that a film that features a refreshing take on the coming-of-age story is about to screen at the Austin Film Festival.

A feat that Egghead & Twinkie accomplishes, by introducing us to… Egghead and Twinkie. A pair of best friends that are enjoying their last summer together before college in the most unique way imaginable. Courtesy of a road trip. Simply because Twinkie is eager to check out some art-related viewings in Texas, and what better time to do that, than before this dynamic duo is split up? But alas, Twinkie isn’t being honest with Egghead about the real reasons for the trip. For in reality, she’s eager to meet her online crush, the very one that helped her come to understand her sexuality and inspired her to express that truth to her parents, and she needs this time way to really learn this aspect of herself with the one person that she sees as a brother. Despite the fact that Egghead has feelings for her. Which means… this will be a trip of self-discovery for both of them, one that will change their lives forever.

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Which is a delightful plot that offers up a coming-of-age story for a new generation. Because this… this is the kind of stuff that teenagers are actually going through in life. For so many teens are trying to understand themselves and understand who they will be tomorrow and who they actually want to love in this life and that is precisely what we get here. An intimate journey of self-discovery, one that is filled with mistakes and follies that feel genuine and relatable, the kind that we learned from when we hit our own more low-key coming of age and that alone, makes this film worth the price of admission. Because that’s a refreshing and inventive story, one that finally offers real honesty when it comes to the coming-of-age story and the film’s wonder doesn’t end there.
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Because it also brings about, representation and lets a community speak, whose voices are often silenced in film. Making this a pioneering film as well, since there are not enough coming-of-age/coming out stories for the LGBTQIA+ community, and this film deserves absolute praise for exploring what coming out can actually be like for people in the world. Since such a move raises awareness regarding an act that happens daily in our world and teaches us… to embrace when that moment happens so that the person embracing their sexuality doesn’t feel awkward or worried about being honest about themselves. They can instead, feel pride in knowing who they are and well, what’s even more incredible… is that there are still more wonders to share regarding this feature.

For it is also, a delightful comedy. One that understands the importance of laughing at the awkwardness of life, and how sometimes the things we make out to be big in our heads, are silly and goofy, and should be seen as such. And that allows for certain moments in this film to never get too heavy, because it also features some important moments of growth for this duo, the kind that are somber in their own way and well… all of these elements combine to bring forth an absolute must-see film. For Egghead & Twinkie is poignant, important, and beautiful and joyous, and it truly reinvents the coming-of-age story at last. Plus, it features a magnificent cast, and Sabrina Jie-A-Fa (Twinkie) and Louis Tomeo (Egghead), deserve a shout out, since they nail every moment big and small, and this movie also features a powerhouse script from writer/director Sarah Kambe Holland and hopefully, you get to see this motion picture at the Austin Film Festival or in a theater soon. Because this story is something quite special and absolutely what the world of cinema needs right now.

For screening information, please visit the Austin Film Festival’s website.

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