THE STORY – One fateful night, the stars seemingly align for Connor — a kind and unassuming young man — as his long-time crush — the electric and irreverent Olivia — steers them into a threesome with a sweet, alluring stranger Jenny. The encounter sparks a relationship between Connor and Olivia and their love grows quickly, all the way toward planning a life together. But their happy romance is soon demolished when Jenny reappears in their lives, thrusting all three into a difficult and messy journey towards true accountability and adulthood.
THE CAST – Zoey Deutch, Jonah Hauer-King, Ruby Cruz, Jaboukie Young-White, Josh Segarra, Robert Longstreet, Arden Myrin, Kristin Slaysman, Allan McLeod & Julia Sweeney
THE TEAM – Chad Hartigan (Director) & Ethan Ogilby (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 112 Minutes
Although it’s not as presently implemented in today’s vernacular, there was a popular idiom that stated, “Two’s company, three’s a crowd.” Does it make sense? Not really, but it was a go-to saying for excluding a third-party member who was unwelcome by those who spoke it. Thankfully, that saying has never had any lasting effect in cinema, let alone in films depicting throuples. Yes, we’re talking about threesomes, people! It’s an act that’s always been examined through filmmaking, whether it was an exploration of unrequited desires or a character’s dependency on others. Look at how the world went into a frenzy last year with Luca Guadagnino’s steamy tennis flick “Challengers.” What was once a sexual act that felt, to a degree, stigmatized by society doesn’t even register a blink in the eye of anyone who’s currently a part of the modern dating scene. So it was only a matter of time until a film like Chad Hartigan’s “The Threesome” would be released. Hartigan’s romantic dramedy is messy, just like all of those involved in the film’s titular act. Yet, it tiptoes around established genre tropes, allowing Hartigan to create a film that feels almost as fresh and layered as the characters who inhabit it.
Caught at the center of the act in “The Threesome” is Connor (Jonah Hauer-King), a doe-eyed sound engineer who’s head over heels for his former coworker, friend, and semi-situationship Olivia (Zoey Deutch). To Connor, there’s no one else who compares, but Olivia takes more than she can give to him emotionally. This leads Connor to strike up a conversation with Jenny (Ruby Cruz). Olivia takes notice (with jealousy), and soon, the three of them embark on a night of dancing, drinking, and unadulterated fun. Of course, as the film’s title suggests, the trio’s night ends with a ménage à trois. What sounds like a dream fantasy for most people soon leads to a whirlwind of drama in Connor’s life that only shines a light on how things don’t always go as hoped. Sure, the way it’s written might set audiences up to think “The Threesome” is a horror film (which, to some viewers it might be, in the same way “Shiva Baby” can be viewed). But while filled with dramatic moments, it’s built upon an underlying levity that prevents it from becoming too self-serious. Hartigan fundamentally gets this, and with Ethan Ogilby’s screenplay, the ever-evolving relationship between these three leads is a fascinating balancing act of comedy and drama that comes off quite smoothly. In a far more simplistic film, these characters could be one-note caricatures that hit the formulaic moments we’ve come to expect from digestible rom-coms.
Ogilby doesn’t let anyone off the hook, constantly putting the main trio through difficult circumstances that they have to navigate as best as they can. Everyone’s emotions aren’t strictly limited to operating in only one register. Connor, Olivia, and Jenny make foolish mistakes, some of which give the characters a tinge of contemptibility that makes audiences also adjust their opinions of them as the film progresses. While Ogilby’s comedic dialogue is fun to listen to, it also helps when the main trio of actors are this dialed-in, including other supporting players like Jaboukie Young-White, who plays Connor’s best friend Greg. Hauer-King, who rose in popularity as the dashing Prince Eric in Disney’s live-action reimagining of “The Little Mermaid,” is irresistibly charming. “The Threesome” doesn’t work without Hauer-King’s tender performance, as he’s the center of the drama. There’s a myopic nature to Connor that Hauer-King plays so honestly and makes him a fitting rom-com leading man. Zoey Deutch, no stranger to romantic comedies, is great, expertly threading the needle between matching Hauer-King’s chemistry while also instilling an unlikeability that’s derived from complications that take her out of her comfort zone. It also makes Deutch’s dynamic with Cruz even more refreshing. Cruz is the perfect antithesis to everything that Deutch’s character embodies, coming from a place of genuine compassion that’s starkly different from Olivia’s brash nature. These women are polar opposites, and seeing them navigate this eccentric circumstance together is always delightful.
It’s a bit disappointing that “The Threesome,” which is so centered on the messiness that could come about from a moment of passion like this, feels as if it’s resolving in such a picturesque manner from which the film otherwise steers away. Especially when the story throws in further complications, which keep unnecessarily adding to the drama of it all. It’s as if there was nothing else interesting to explore between these characters that hasn’t already been explored before. It’s a wall that the film can’t get over and ends on a note that feels unearned. Despite this, “The Threesome” is indicative of romantic comedy for a different generation. It’s the type of Sundance-esque dramedy that delivers some chuckles and also has something on its mind. Whether Hartigan is able to fully convey that is up for debate. At least the seamless chemistry and comedy chops of Hauer-King, Deutch, and Cruz present a pretty convincing argument.
