Plot: What’s it about?
Stuart (Stephen Baldwin) and Eddy (Josh Charles) share a suite, but they’ll soon be joined by a third roommate. Although they know their new living mate is named Alex, they know nothing else and as such, are curious about who will be moving in with them. As it turns out, an error in the system has assigned the slot to a woman named Alex (Lara Flynn Boyle) and of course, that means potential problems. But two men can share living quarters with a woman without trouble right? Well, soon after she moves in, there seems to be a love (or lust) bug in action, as she starts to fall for Eddy, Stuart wants to take her to bed, and Eddy, well, he discovers something about himself. He realizes that not only is he homosexual, but he is attracted to Stuart and with all this lust in one suite, something has to be done or the three will go insane. So they agree to keep their feelings under wraps and as time passes, they start to learn all sorts of things about each other, while fighting the urge to pounce one another. Can these three people share the same space and not act on their passions, or are they doomed to explode?
I think Threesome is a solid, but not great little movie and since has a nice base of fans, I am pleased to see it released on this format. I’ve seen this one cable countless times, but never anywhere else, so it was cool to see the complete, unaltered film after so much time. I liked the movie more this time around of course, but it still struck me as flawed and rather unambitious. I mean, I don’t expect much from light comedies, but some real humorous situations weren’t explored here and perhaps that’s to avoid offending people, but that just seems lame. In a movie like this where sexuality is focused on, I think it should have took more chances, but it didn’t and some good potential moments are absent as a result. Even so, Threesome has some good moments and ends up as an enjoyable flick, one I can watch often and that adds a lot to a disc’s value. The main cast here is Stephen Baldwin, Lara Flynn Boyle, and Josh Charles, all of whom seem to be comfortable within their characters. In the end, Threesome is recommended as a rental to newcomers, but fans will want this disc for their own, as it contains some cool extras and a nice transfer.
This film was written and directed by Andrew Fleming, who has been involved in a few other films I’ve liked. Although I am pleased with Fleming’s direction here, I think he misses a lot of chances as a writer, as he seems to be playing it a little too safe. I could understand this if he needed a lower rating, but this is an R rated flick and as such, he must have had more room to expand on some risque issues. He does touch upon some sexual subjects, but in a light fashion and in a flick like this one, I think more boundaries could have been explored, for sake of humor and character development. Even so, Fleming delivers as both writer and director here, although as I said, I think he passes up some good chances to add humor to the film. Other films directed by Fleming include Dick, The Craft, and Bad Dreams. The cast here includes Lara Flynn Boyle (The Temp, Happiness), Stephen Baldwin (The Usual Suspects, 8 Seconds), Josh Charles (Crossworlds, Dead Poets Society), Alexis Arquette (The Wedding Singer, Bride of Chucky), Mark Arnold (Teen Wolf, Trancers 4), and Martha Gehman (The Legend of Billie Jean, Practical Magic).
Video: How does it look?
Threesome is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, with a full frame edition included on the disc’s flip side. A very solid visual presentation here, although it lacks the sharpness and detail to move up to the next level in terms of score. But I think this effort will please fans, as the image is terrific and offers a nice improvement over prior editions. The source print used is clean, colors seem bright, flesh tones are natural, and contrast is well balanced. In other words, this is an above average transfer in all respects, very good work indeed. Some grain is present and keeps the score down, but not by much in the end.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included 2.0 surround track is more than adequate, given the rather limited audio needs this film has. The surrounds are not silent all the time, but are not used that much, aside from subtle use at times and the musical soundtrack. But those elements supply enough depth to keep the atmosphere rich, so no real complaints on that end. The dialogue is flawless here also, which is good since it is the main focus of the mix. I wouldn’t use this disc to showcase your sound system, but it handles the material well enough and that’s sufficient in this case. This disc also includes audio options in French, Spanish, and Portuguese, as well as subtitles in English, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Korean, Thai, and Chinese.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The main bonus here is an audio commentary track with writer/director Andrew Fleming, who once again provides an informative session. I liked his tracks on Dick and The Craft, so I knew this would be a good one and while I wish he was not alone, he fills the time well and has a lot to say about the production. Never dull, Fleming talks about how the film was made, his reasons for certain sequences, and of course, humorous anecdotes. If you’re a fan of the movie, make sure to give this track a spin and learn a little about the flick. This disc also includes an alternate ending, as well as some talent files.
