Thanks for checking out our Forgotten Fridays feature. This is a feature to review some older films that maybe you have forgotten about or maybe never got around to seeing that we just want to share. They may not be old, maybe not forgotten, but they are not new. Just fun to share.
Today, we review Three to Tango
Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Damon Santostefano
Staring: Matthew Perry, Neve Campbell, Dylan McDermott, Oliver Platt
Released: Oct 22, 1999
THE GENERAL IDEA
A rich businessman, Dylan McDermott, mistakenly believes that Matthew Perry, who is bidding on a $90 million restoration contract, is gay and asks him to keep tabs on his mistress, Neve Campbell. Perry, who is not gay, falls for Neve in a big way but she thinks he’s gay.
THE GOOD
Matthew Perry is still Chandler Bing in this film but his chemistry with Neve Campbell is awesome. As is his progressive yet uncomfortable ideas about sexuality. His business partner is gay and he clearly has no problems with gays until someone thinks he is gay, then he is on the defensive. Its charming and cute how he deals with it, and it brings comedy to the situation without being outright offensive.
Dylan McDermott plays the rich douchebag to a tee, but its Oliver Platt that steals every scene he is in. He is the flaming homosexual, but not obnoxious. He is the voice of reason that lets the audience know when the sexual stereotypes are going from funny to inappropriate. He is the regulator. And he is hillarious!
What I love most about this film is the budding romance between Amy (Campbell) and Oscar (Perry). They share intimate moments and are real with each other without playing any games, and thats where the real connection happens. As a hopeless romantic I wish more relationships would start this way. Its real and you feel their struggle as the lie is the only thing stopping them from moving forward.
THE BAD
Its a predictable romantic comedy, and while I love this movie to death its not the first movie where a man falls in love with a woman who thinks he is gay, but its still the best.
The characters are pretty stereotypical. The good looking girl is in love with a douche, and its up to our hero to win her away. The ending is predictable. You don’t even know why Neve’s character Amy wants to be with him aside from the thrill of sneaking around and boredom. She rejects his presents so its not his money. So its easy to see her giving up on the boytoy, which I would have liked to have seen more of a struggle with.
Its not an original story, not even original characters. If these things drive you insane in movies, then you wont like this.
OVERALL
Lots of fun and a great light comedy that while treading on the predictable is actually quite fun to watch. Character chemistry and awkward situation comedy is all this movie is about and its a hoot to live through.
I don’t throw a lot of light hearted comedies up here, but this one gets some repeat viewings in my household, so I thought it was worth the mention.
Since all of these Forgotten Friday reviews are going to be what I would already give a high rating to, I had a Tv, Rent or Buy scale going on, but it would seem that an overwhelming majority of my picks get a BUY rating.
So with every Forgotten Friday you see from now on, you get to rate your anticipation for yourself!
TV – If you are at least a little curious, catch it if it comes on TV.
Rent – If it is something you have heard of and forgotten, or just remember enjoying this as much as I did once upon a time, go rent it.
Buy – But if you are like me, and you agree with my review you should go buy it. If its featured here, I already have.
In a way I wouldn’t say that being predictable is a bad thing with the movie, it just means that you can enjoy all the comedy, the flirtatious behaviour and sexual jokes about stereotypes without having to concentrate on the ins and outs of the storyline. It is what it is, just a good fun movie which is worth more than one viewing even if Perry is just playing an extension of his Chandler Bing persona.