The Threesome (2025) by Chad Hartigan

A young man’s long-time crush leads him into an unexpected threesome, which he initially perceives as his ultimate fantasy come true. However, when the fantasy ends, all three individuals are confronted with sobering real-world consequences and must take responsibility for their actions. The film is a Comedy, Drama, and Romance, with a runtime of 112 minutes. It is currently trending on MOVIEmeter, up 762 this month.

Connor, a sound engineer, has been enamored with his former coworker, Olivia, for a long time. An impulsive night leads to a threesome involving Olivia and Jenny, a stranger. Initially, Connor believes his ultimate fantasy has materialized, envisioning a relationship with Olivia. However, the situation takes a turn when Jenny re-enters their lives, leading to unexpected pregnancies for both Olivia and Jenny. The film explores the ensuing complex dynamic between Connor, Olivia, and Jenny as they navigate the unforeseen consequences of their impulsive decision, grappling with accountability and the messy realities of modern relationships.

Chad Hartigan directs the film to explore the messy and complex realities of modern relationships, moving beyond typical romantic comedy tropes. His vision focuses on the emotional honesty of the characters and the real-world consequences of their actions, balancing comedic elements with dramatic depth. The director aims to challenge conventional rom-com narratives by delving into the intricacies of a love triangle that evolves in unexpected and complicated ways.

• Consequences of Actions: The film emphasizes that impulsive decisions, even those initially perceived as fantasies, have significant and lasting real-world consequences that characters must confront.

• Accountability: The central theme revolves around taking responsibility for one’s actions, especially in the context of relationships and unexpected life events like unplanned pregnancies.

• Modern Relationships: The movie delves into the complexities of contemporary relationships, exploring non-traditional dynamics and the challenges of navigating love, desire, and responsibility in the modern age.

• Emotional Complexity: It examines the intricate emotions and shifting dynamics within a love triangle, showcasing jealousy, frustration, compassion, and the evolving feelings of the characters as they grapple with their situation.

• Challenging Rom-Com Conventions: The film subverts typical romantic comedy tropes by presenting a scenario that is less about happy endings and cute resolutions and more about the messy, often uncomfortable, realities of relationships.

• Strong Lead Performances: The performances of Zoey Deutch, Jonah Hauer-King, and Ruby Cruz are highlighted as compelling and well-rounded, driving the emotional core of the story.

• Insightful Screenplay: Ethan Ogilby’s script is praised for its witty dialogue and for insightfully challenging traditional romantic comedy narratives.

• Balanced Direction: Chad Hartigan’s direction is noted for effectively balancing the comedic and dramatic elements of the story, preventing it from becoming overly self-serious or farcical.

• Unique Premise: The film’s intriguing and unconventional premise of a threesome leading to unexpected pregnancies offers a fresh and modern take on the romantic comedy genre.

• Exploration of Complex Emotions: The movie’s strength lies in its ability to tap into big emotional moments and explore the characters’ reactions in impactful ways.

A 112-minute romantic comedy and drama that takes a turn into dramatic realism when a threesome leads to unexpected pregnancies and complex relationship dynamics, forcing three individuals to confront the consequences of their desires and actions.

Critics’ initial reactions are mixed to positive, particularly after its SXSW premiere.

• Collider: This review site highlights the film’s emotional core and the strong performances of the lead actors, giving it a rating of 7/10. They note that while the characters could be more fleshed out and the ending is somewhat of a “cop-out,” the film succeeds in its emotional moments and presents a compelling take on a love triangle.

• Awards Buzz: This site praises the film as a “Winning, Hilarious Story of Consequences” with a “Terrific Lead Trio,” giving it a rating of 8/10. They emphasize the film’s humor, grounded approach, and the excellent casting of the lead actors.

• Roger Ebert: This site provides a more critical perspective, suggesting that while Zoey Deutch and Ruby Cruz deliver winning performances, the central male character is unengaging, and the script sometimes feels manufactured.

• Next Best Picture: This site acknowledges the well-rounded performances and the screenplay’s insightful challenge to rom-com conventions. They point out that the direction balances tone effectively but also note that the ending feels too neatly wrapped up.

Overall, the critical reception suggests that “The Threesome” is a film with strong performances and an intriguing premise that offers a more complex and emotionally resonant take on the romantic comedy genre, although some critics point out flaws in character development and narrative resolution.

Reviews about Movie Online:

• Awards Buzz: This online review highlights the film as a “Winning, Hilarious Story of Consequences” and emphasizes the excellent performances of the lead trio. They praise the film for its humor, grounded approach, and the way it navigates the messy aftermath of an impulsive decision.

• Next Best Picture: This online review commends the “well-rounded trio of performances” and the screenplay’s insightful challenge to traditional rom-coms. They appreciate the director’s balanced tone, ensuring the film is neither too serious nor ridiculous. However, they also note that the drama wanes towards the end, leading to unnecessary plot points and a somewhat contrived, overly neat resolution.

As of March 10, 2025, “The Threesome” has just premiered at SXSW and is currently awaiting U.S. distribution. Box office performance is not yet available as it has not had a general theatrical release.

Production Companies: Filmopoly, Jupiter Peak Productions, Star Thrower Entertainment

• AQS (Czech Republic & Slovakia – Theatrical)

• Metropolitan Filmexport (France – Theatrical)

• Monolith Films (Poland – Theatrical)

• Nos Lusomundo Audiovisuais (Portugal – Theatrical)

• Rai Cinema (Italy – Theatrical)

• Seven.One Entertainment Group (Germany – Theatrical)

• Signature Entertainment (Australia, New Zealand, UK – Theatrical)

• United King Films (Israel – Theatrical)

• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (Middle East, North Africa, and Iran – All Media, 2024)

• United States: March 7, 2025 (SXSW Film Festival), March 28, 2025 (Annapolis Film Festival), April 5, 2025 (Wisconsin Film Festival), April 12, 2025 (Miami Film Festival)

• Czech Republic & Slovakia: Theatrical Release via AQS

• France: Theatrical Release via Metropolitan Filmexport

• Poland: Theatrical Release via Monolith Films

• Portugal: Theatrical Release via Nos Lusomundo Audiovisuais

• Italy: Theatrical Release via Rai Cinema

• Germany: Theatrical Release via Seven.One Entertainment Group

• Australia, New Zealand, UK: Theatrical Release via Signature Entertainment

• Israel: Theatrical Release via United King Films

Why You Should Watch Movie:

• Unique Romantic Comedy: Offers a fresh and modern take on the genre, moving beyond typical tropes to explore complex relationship dynamics.

• Strong Performances: Features compelling performances from Zoey Deutch, Jonah Hauer-King, and Ruby Cruz, who bring depth and nuance to their characters.

• Thought-Provoking Themes: Delves into relevant themes of accountability, consequences, and the messy realities of modern relationships, prompting reflection beyond simple entertainment.

• Humor and Drama Balance: Successfully blends comedic elements with dramatic depth, creating an engaging and emotionally resonant viewing experience.

• Modern Love Triangle: Presents an intriguing and unconventional love triangle scenario, exploring the complexities of emotions and interactions among three individuals.

What Movie Trend film is following:

• Dark Romantic Comedy/Dramedy: The film aligns with the trend of darker, more realistic romantic comedies or dramedies. This trend moves away from purely lighthearted and formulaic rom-coms, incorporating more dramatic elements and exploring complex, sometimes uncomfortable, relationship issues with a comedic lens. “The Threesome” fits this trend by tackling a potentially comedic premise (a threesome) but delving into the serious and messy consequences, thus offering a blend of humor and drama.

What Big Social Trend is following:

• Modern Relationship Complexity: The film taps into the social trend of exploring the evolving and increasingly complex nature of modern relationships. As societal norms around relationships shift, there’s growing interest in narratives that honestly depict the messiness, ambiguities, and challenges of love, sex, and commitment in contemporary life. “The Threesome” reflects this trend by portraying a non-traditional relationship scenario and its repercussions, resonating with audiences who navigate similar complexities in their own lives or observe them in society.

“The Threesome (2025)” appears to be a promising romantic comedy that distinguishes itself by venturing into the complex and messy realities of modern relationships. With strong lead performances and a script that balances humor with drama, it offers a fresh, albeit slightly flawed, take on the genre, making it a potentially worthwhile watch for audiences seeking more than just a typical rom-com experience.