Threesome (1994) starring Lara Flynn Boyle, Stephen Baldwin, Josh Charles, Alexis Arquette, Martha Gehman, Mark Arnold directed by Andrew Flemming Movie Review

Threesome (1994)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Lara Flynn Boyle, Josh Charles and Stephen Baldwin in Threesome

Baldwin, Boyle and Charles a Fascinating Three-Some

It's quite surprising that for a movie which never made much of an impact when released back in 1994, seeing the slightly controversial nature of the deviant storyline, "Threesome" now has quite a following. Not that "Threesome" is a great movie but is enjoyable in a quirky manner with fun performances from Lara Flynn Boyle, Josh Charles and Stephen Baldwin.

"Threesome" as the name suggests is about 3 people in a sexually charged love triangle. The people in question are college students Eddy (Josh Charles - Dead Poets Society) and Stuart (Stephen Baldwin - Jesse Stone: Night Passage), two miss-matched dorm mates, who are accompanied by Alex (Lara Flynn Boyle - Men in Black II), which thanks to a computer cock up is forced to share their room much to her chagrin. But as the movie evolves we discover that whilst ladies man Stuart falls for Alex, Alex in turn has feelings for the more intellectual Eddy but Eddy is sexually ambivalent and has feelings for Stuart.

Stephen Baldwin and Josh Charles in Threesome

In many ways it feels like director Andrew Flemming has tried to emulate John Hughes's "The Breakfast Club" adapting the storyline to an un-named college scenario, but keeping the feel quite similar. There is a narration which comes from Eddie and much of the movie focuses on how he deals not only with his sexuality but also the complex Menage a trois he finds himself in. I will be frank when I say that "Threesome" is in no way an intelligent examination of how someone deals with homosexuality, but considering when it was made is quite unique in the fact that it doesn't make it all stereotypical. There are no attempts to convert Eddie from being gay, there are no real over the top camp moments, if you can ignore Alexis Arquette's small role as a slightly camp receptionist, it just treats Eddie's homosexual feelings in the same way as it treats Stuarts & Alex's more traditional sexual feeling.

But "Threesome" is no way a serious movie and relies heavily on what is essentially college humour featuring numerous butt and breast jokes as well as very frank & fruity commentary on having sex. It certainly doesn't hold back in being in your face and in many ways is like a fore-runner to much of Judd Apatow's works, just without the cock jokes. It's not all funny and some of the humour is plainly very predictable but the majority feels original and if you enjoy sexual humour as well as college humour then "Threesome" will be right up your street.

From a provocative stand point "Threesome" feels a little tame compared too many more modern movies. The various scenes surrounding the sexual escapades are quite limited and honestly are quite tastefully shot, not something I would have thought I would say of a college sex comedy. It's certainly not got the amount of naked flesh on show that you expect from most sex comedies and this does stop it from being just a visual pleasure and one which manages to engage your brain slightly and I do mean slightly. As for the controversial nature of a "Threesome", well these days it is not as shocking as it once was and because of the tasteful way "Threesome" has been made I wouldn't say it is controversial.

Performance wise well it's pretty unremarkable but in no ways bad. There is an enjoyment in watching Lara Flynn Boyle, Stephen Baldwin and Josh Charles basically bounce off of each other as their characters have to deal with the complexity of their situation and feelings but they pretty much fill stereotypical roles. Stephen the youngest of the Baldwin dynasty of acting brothers fits the character of a free willed, sex loving college stud down to a T, although when it's mentioned that he's doing a business major I had to laugh. Josh Charles does an admirable job of a young man who is not so much confused by his sexuality but struggling to deal with it in such a strange circumstance. Then there is Lara Flynn Boyle who is enjoyable as the independent student who in fact is a bit of a sex kitten. All 3 of them work well together but there is not really a standout, memorable performance and that slightly let's "Threesome" down.

What this all boils down to is that "Threesome" is basically an enjoyable, at times clever, at others stupid movie which will probably not appeal to the masses. It's not as coarse as most modern sex comedies and so may feel a little tame in comparison but for those who themselves were in their late teens/ early twenties at the start of the nineties it will have some appeal. Personally I enjoy it because it is funny, it is slightly sexual but overall it's entertaining in a sort of John Hughes style.


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