Lilli Keeve
“The heart that’s afraid to break is a heart that’s never used.”
——–
It’s rare these days for romantic dramedies to balance depth, humor, and sincerity effectively, while also tackling intense subject matter. Chad Hartigan’s film The Threesome does just that — Jonah Hauer-King (Connor), Zoey Deutch (Olivia), and Ruby Cruz (Jenny) must navigate a messy situation after they have a spontaneous threesome with each other, and must cope with the ups and downs of its repercussions when both Olivia and Jenny get pregnant. The aftermath is a heartbreakingly realistic depiction of what happens when life gets in the way, and the surprises that come along when you least expect them.
Connor has a long-time, almost obsessive crush on Olivia, and their relationship evolves throughout the film. When Jenny unexpectedly appears one day, the foundations of what Connor and Olivia are trying to build start to crumble as they must figure out what they truly want from each other and in their unpredictable lives. With a strong cast, specifically Deutch’s magnetism and wit, the premise of The Threesome is beautifully unique. It boldly explores important themes surrounding societal expectations, abortion, love, and self-exploration, illustrating a touching portrait of young people figuring out themselves in the modern world.
Ethan Ogilby’s screenplay is incredibly poignant and moving. Dividing the movie into the three trimesters of Olivia’s pregnancy brings to light the varying seasons of her journey while she and Connor adapt to challenges and uncertainty. Hauer-King brings a wonderful sensitivity to his portrayal of Connor, and his chemistry with Deutch and Cruz is a delight to witness. Each character is weighed down by choices that will stay with them forever, and it’s interesting to see how they choose to respond to situational pressures. In a scene where Connor finds a discarded pregnancy test in Olivia’s trash can, they talk about the possibility of what it would be like having a child, and it’s a realistic and raw conversation that two thirty-year-old adults who love each other would have. On the other hand, when Jenny tells him she’s pregnant, the tone is more somber and subtle, affirming that she’s having the baby with or without his help, and because of her Christian beliefs, she refuses to get an abortion.
Another element of these characters is that they’re very flawed individuals; even the reserved and goody two-shoes Jenny admits that she was trying to be somebody else. She lies to impress her parents by saying Connor is her boyfriend, which is clearly untrue, thus putting Connor in a tricky position. Being the good-natured person that he is, Connor goes along with it and supports Jenny, even though things go south. Olivia is headstrong, tenacious, and morally conflicted, but she has a tender heart. Even though she is cold towards Jenny, she eventually puts her guard down and allows a bond to form between them. Connor is an ordinary guy trying his best to do the right thing for everyone involved, and he truly does care for both women. When a big twist is revealed towards the end, it does come as an initial shock but is also completely plausible. Life throws curveballs at us all the time, and how we respond to the unknown says a lot about who we are as people.
The tone and pacing of the film remain fairly consistent — even though there are comedic moments and sentiments, there are definitely some heavier topics that steer the film into dramatic territory. Deutch and Hauer-King carry a majority of this weight, but the myriad of emotions and temperaments exhibited by Deutch as Olivia make her performance a true standout. She’s not always someone that you like, yet you can also empathize with her despite her mistakes. Ogilby’s script, paired with Hartigan’s astute and caring direction, harmoniously creates a movie that will tug at your heartstrings and make you laugh, cry, and ponder what it means to be alive.
