The Threesome SXSW Review

Life can come at you pretty fast—one moment, you’re trying to convince someone that you’re meant to be together, and the next, you’re in bed with that person and another random stranger you just met. This situation has never happened to me, but I hear it has happened—a sort of urban legend, you might say. This is also the premise behind Chad Hartigan’s new film, The Threesome, but like life itself, it’s a little more complicated than the legend.

Conner (Jonah Hauer-King) has a thing for Olivia (Zoey Deutch), a girl he used to work with and has had a night or two with in the past. Conner is at his friend’s wedding, where he’s about to give the groom’s speech, and he’s brought Olivia along, eager for her to hear what he’s convinced is a stellar speech. Olivia, though, has to leave early. Soon after, Conner finds himself at the restaurant where Olivia works, having a drink with his friend Greg (Jaboukie Young-White), who is a bartender there. As Conner pines over Olivia—who doesn’t seem to reciprocate his feelings—Greg encourages him to approach a girl who was just stood up on a date.

That girl is Jenny (Ruby Cruz), and she and Conner hit it off immediately. So well, in fact, that Olivia starts to feel a little jealous and somehow inserts herself into the mix. Before long, the three of them are painting the town red, and the night ends at Conner’s place. Things get steamy, and an unexpected adventure unfolds. But decisions have consequences, and this one leaves Olivia seeing Conner in a new light. However, that’s not the only twist that complicates things for the trio.

Written by Ethan Ogilby, The Threesome is a love story that doesn’t just focus on the happy endings and neat resolutions most rom-coms love to deliver—it also embraces the messiness of life. Ogilby believes in consequences, putting his characters through difficult situations and allowing them to navigate them as best they can. There are plenty of melodramatic undertones as well as some great twists and turns, but the cast keeps everything grounded and human, never overplaying their roles.

The Threesome doesn’t fit the mold of a typical modern rom-com, but that’s what makes it special. It has plenty of light, funny moments, but it also gets quite heavy—as Hartigan and the cast never lose sight of their characters’ flaws as they search for happiness. The three leads are perfectly cast: the always-great Deutch is edgy and funny, with just the right touch of meanness as she tries to get what she wants. Hauer-King is charming as Conner, playing into his character’s flaws while still making him likable. As for Cruz, she never feels like an afterthought—she’s just as endearing and funny, making this trio feel authentic.

The Threesome isn’t without its dramatic leaps that you would find in rom-com’s of decades past, but it mostly stays grounded. It is clearly allowing its characters’ humor to feel natural rather than forced. Ultimately, The Threesome is good fun, with plenty of heartfelt moments. Thanks to its fantastic leads, it’s more than just a memorable night for the characters—it’s an unforgettable experience for its audience as well.