deadline.com
By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
This modern production once again shows why the sexual fantasy of a ménage à trois should remain as only a fantasy. “The Threesome” is a rom com that, on the surface, seems like it would push boundaries and provide something new to the genre, but it stays in the well-worn path of the genre. While the story plays out rather predictably, there are some poignant moments and themes sprinkled with humor to make it watchable.
Connor Blake (Jonah Hauer-King) has been pining for Olivia Capitano (Zoey Deutch) for a long time but has been relegated to the friend zone. Everything changes one drunken night when Connor meets Jenny Brooks (Ruby Cruz). Their obvious attraction to each other lead Olivia to insert herself in this heated connection, and a wild night none of them will forget ensues. Real life consequences pop up in the aftermath of their sexy rendezvous that threaten to derail any hope Connor has at a committed relationship with Olivia.
A film that relies heavily on dialogue to move the story like this requires talented acting from its cast, so let’s tackle the performances first. Unfortunately, the only one to show up is Zoey Deutch, who does her best to carry the movie. This is a veteran and versatile actress, and she steals the show with her naturally delivered sarcastic banter while also providing the most emotionally impactful moments of the film. Without her presence, this production would be a hot mess and probably would’ve been permanently shelved.
The rest of cast does not do the film any favors with mediocre to downright dreadful performances. Jonah Hauer-King, who has the distinct notoriety of being the worst actor to come out of the new “I Know What You Did Last Summer” earlier this year, fails to improve his deteriorating reputation. His portrayal of the lovesick simp quickly becomes nauseating as the nice guy act and constant puppy dog looks grow tiresome. He couldn’t even muster any believable chemistry with his two female co-stars, forcing them to shoulder the responsibility. While Zoey proves more than capable of handling that, Ruby Cruz was not quite up to the challenge. The younger actress muddles through well enough, but she looks lost more often than not without a decent co-star to bring out her best.
Chad Hartigan is an independent film director out of Cyprus, and he helms “The Threesome.” There are some commendable efforts to be sure, but there are also plenty of faults that would make an amateur filmmaker blush. He brazenly tackles some divisive topics like abortion in a more contemporary and comical tone that keeps the overall feeling lighthearted. However, some may find this to be dismissive or overly glossy of the heated topic. It also diminishes some golden opportunities to delve deeper into emotionally charged themes.
As for the comedy, this is a case of jokes being funnier on paper than on screen, because they come across as unnatural and forced when spoken by the actors. Granted, much of that could be do to the fact that the acting is subpar, but the lines are overly verbose, diminishing the authenticity of those moments. Hartigan further disintegrates the authenticity of the comedy by constantly incorporating a comic relief type of character played by Jaboukie Young-White, who is featured in the opening act getting married. It begs the question: Isn’t his husband at all concerned that he seems to be spending every possible moment with his best friend instead of him? Sloppy filmmaking and continuity errors further complicate the realism for viewers to be able to connect.
Ultimately, this feels like a watered-down combination of “Knocked Up” and “Two Girls and a Guy,” except without the acting talent of either of those movies. Just like in real life, “The Threesome” is simply not worth the headache. Sure, there’s some fun to be had, but it will leave you wanting so much more.
This movie earns:
