Three to Tango

Starring:Matthew Perry, Dylon Mcdermott
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

A charming but problematic romantic comedy, Three to Tango wobbles between sublime farce and ridiculous contrivance in its detailing of the romantic triangle between an architect (Matthew Perry), a rich businessman (Dylan McDermott), and the businessman's mistress (Neve Campbell). What's the catch? Well, after an absurd misunderstanding, McDermott believes Perry to be gay when in actuality it's Perry's architectural partner (Oliver Platt) who is. Thinking Perry is "safe" material, the jealous McDermott enlists him to watch over Campbell so she doesn't flirt with any other guys, the tacit understanding being that if Perry keeps her out of anyone's arms, a lucrative job will be his. Of course, Perry's instantly smitten, and Campbell takes to him immediately. Both are flummoxed when McDermott reveals Perry's orientation, in one of the film's many subtly rich and funny scenes; Campbell's confused but accommodating, and Perry freaks out inside when he understands that if he wants to keep his job and stay out of debt he has to pretend to have no romantic feelings whatsoever for the woman he loves--and be her constant companion and closest friend. When it sticks to farce-screwball mixed with drawing-room comedy, Three to Tango closely resembles Tootsie, in which another man pretended to be something he wasn't in order to keep his job and his proximity to the woman he loves. However, it's the "gay issue"--and that's exactly how it's dealt with, quotation marks and all--that sadly sabotages the film. Whereas in Tootsie Dustin Hoffman's cross-dressing was taken in stride, the issue of Perry's supposed homosexuality is treated as an oppressive burden; it's not only borderline offensive, it badly bungles the film's delicate dynamics, weighing down a feather-light romance with excess baggage. It's too bad, because Perry and Campbell are better than you'd ever have any reason to believe; their courtship is genuinely funny and touching, and after a while you'll find emotional investment in these two ending up together. Despite the film's problems, they manage to pull it over the finish line. --Mark Englehart

Description

Matthew Perry, Neve Campbell and Dylan McDermott are the entango'd threesome of this hip, gender-bending farce about the shenanigans that result when a lovestruck architect is mistakenly thought to be gay by a tycoon who drafts him to spy on his mistress. "A charming romantic comedy in the Tootsie vein" (San Francisco Chronicle).

Customer Reviews:

"You've made a big, gay bed, and you must now slumber gaily in it.".......2006-09-09

I consider Three to Tango to be tied with Fools Rush In as the top two Matthew Perry vehicles in his body of work. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend either one. Like Fools Rush In, Three to Tango is a lighthearted, romantic romp, showcasing Perry at his ingratiating best.

Quick premise: A chain of contrived circumstances lead wealthy businessman Charles Newman (Dylan McDermott) to believe that architect Oscar Novak (Matthew Perry) is gay. With the implied promise of a job, Charles convinces Oscar to escort and spy on his hot mistress Amy (Neve Campbell) and keep her away from possible rivals. So, of course, following the formula, Oscar falls in love with Amy, who, in turn, is crushing back on him, until she finds out he's gay. As the movie goes on, Oscar finds it more difficult and frustrating to keep his true feelings hidden from her. It doesn't help that she soon becomes his house guest and that his "outing" becomes media news fodder, shocking his friends and incensing his father. But what it ultimately boils down to for Oscar is that he must choose between his vocation and the woman he loves.

There aren't really any major surprises here. This premise is certainly not original, going back as far as Three's Company in the '70s. Having said that, Three to Tango is still worth a look. The film boasts well-executed comedy sequences, a sweet romance, some fan-friendly acting, and great chemistry between Perry and Campbell. The humor in the film surfaces from several sources - from Perry and Platt's one liners, from Oscar's football-watching buddies (most notably Rick Gomez, the dimwit of the group), and from Oscar's sitcom-type situation itself. I disagree with Mark Englehart's review in that I felt the gay issue was treated with a light touch and doesn't weigh down the plot at all.

Perry's Oscar Novak doesn't stray too far from his Chandler Bing roots. In fact, other than the name, Oscar is exactly like Chandler, quirky mannerisms and all. But as long as Perry doesn't mine this character type too often, it's not a career ender (matter of fact, for a more serious Matthew Perry role, check out TNT's The Ron Clark Story when it comes out on dvd). And, as Oscar, Perry is consistently charming, witty, and endearing in his fumbling insecurities. My favorite line in the film is uttered by Perry, as he gazes at a portrait of a naked, hirsute heinie adorned with a Bosnian flag: "I had no idea things were so hairy in Bosnia."

Lovely Neve Campbell is great here. To be honest, I've never seen her in any bad roles. Here, she presents Amy as independent and free-spirited, yet with a vulnerable side. Like most people, she just wants to be loved. Neve Campbell really needs to do more films. God, I love her smile.

McDermott is competent as the doofus to root against, dastardly portraying the callous, self-involved, yoga-immersed Charles. Kelly Rowan, as Charles's perceptive wife, doesn't have a lot of screen time yet still makes her presence felt. Oliver Platt is terrific as Peter, Oscar's very funny, self-assured, gay business partner.

The special features kinda suck. The double-sided disc presents a full screen version on the A side, and widescreen on the B. There's a theatrical trailer and some behind the scenes facts. And that's it.

With Friends having been off the air for some years now, and with the resulting shift away of the spotlight from Matthew Perry, I don't know how many folks now remember this film. For those who haven't seen it and are wondering if it's worth renting or purchasing or even just watching on cable, the answer is a definite yes. Just don't watch it while scarfing a tuna melt.

Disappointing.......2005-07-15

Thank God..i didnt rent this one. saw it on TBS. I couldnt sit through the entire movie.one of the worst movies i have ever seen. Dylan McDormett was wasted in this role. Perry should just stick to tv. the whole gay angle got really tiring as the movie dragged.

It's good and very.......different........2005-01-25

I saw this movie exactly one year ago on T.V. and I really thought it was interesting and very different. The first gay movie I've seen. I found it hilarious and at the same time suspensefull, because you will not know in what will end. The truth is that I liked it, I confess. If you like different romantic movies, you'll enhoy this one. I hate romantic movies but with some comedy it makes itself watchfull and interesting. Watch it. You'll enjoy it.

Guy gets girl, guy loses girl, guy gets girl back . . ........2004-07-31

Your typical rom-com storyline isn't it? The only problem with this, is that everyone thinks Oscar (Matthew Perry) is gay. Which he's not. Now, I've seen enough Friends (and have 5 seasons on DVD) to know that this story has been done to death on Friends. And here we go with it again! Everyone with Chandler thought he was gay - especially when he had that 'evil' goatee thing going on.

This movie reminded me very much of Object Of My Affection (starring Jennifer Aniston), as it's the same storyline, except from a (pregnant) girl's point of view, fancying a gay guy. This time it's Matthew Perry, who has to almost pretend he's gay, so his boss won't suspect him. His boss (played by Dylan McDermott) thinks Oscar is 'safe' because he's gay - when he's really not. (Also has similarities to Chasing Amy, but without the sarcastic humour of Kevin Smith at the helm.)

Why Matthew Perry? He basically plays Chandler all over again, and he's very obviously going to be stereotyped all over again. Unless he does a really outrageous movie. And then everyone will say he was better as Chandler. That's the problem. With Friends now over, the six of them will trying to make the transition fully into movies, instead of doing the odd film here and there. And so far, in my opinion, only Jennifer Aniston has had some reasonable success in movies. The only other has been Courtney Cox with the Scream movies. We'll not mention Matt Le Blanc & Ross Schwimmer in this section, as their tries have been diabolical.

This film was reasonably good, and it was enjoyable to watch. Neve Campbell is fantastic, and what the guys in the film say is true - you would have to be gay not to fall in love with her. I just love the way when she's about to cry, her eyes fill up, and they always look very strange. No other actor can pull this off.

My favourite scene was when Oscar was on the bus, and it just had come out (in the newspapers!) that he was gay. And he was getting eyed up, especially by this guy. He can't put his back to him, cos the guy stares at his backside, and if he turns round - well, I won't say where his eyes would be! And the joint throwing up scene is funny, as is all the scenes where Oscar & Amy are getting to know each other.

There is nothing in the way of extras on this DVD, only a trailer. Whoopee!

If you enjoyed Object Of My Affection, and want a movie without Paul Rudd, I would go for this one. Plus, Oliver Platt (apparently, super gay!) is fantastic, although he doesn't act that over the top gay most of the time. The film is cliched, but you'll (hopefully) still enjoy it.

Social satire about homosexuality.......2003-12-30

Synopsis:
Oscar Novak (Matthew Perry) is an up and coming architect, bidding with his partner (Oliver Platt) for a project to renovate a classic Chicago landmark. Business Tycoon Charles Newmann (Dylan McDermott), the man seeking the bids, mistakenly comes to believe that Oscar is gay and asks him to babysit his mistress (Neve Campbell) for him. With his business on the line, he agrees to do it, but even in agreeing, he must now pretend to prefer a sexual preference that he does not. Things go from bad to worse when he falls for the tycoon's Mistress.

About the Movie:
This is not a film for social conservatives. With homosexuality having become one of the major hot topics in America, this film proves how a movie can have as much a social agenda as a church can..

One interesting thing to point out about this film is how it uses Mathew Perry's character Oscar Novak to mirror the plight of closeted homosexuals. The Amazon Editorial Review (by Mark Engleheart) completely missed the point of the movie in saying that Novak's supposed gayness is treated simply as "an oppressive burden."

Social standing, job security and even friendships hang in the balance because of Novak's supposed sexual orientation. The film's point is that this is a burden that many homosexuals feel they have to deal with. In a sense Novak is now forced to deal with the same issues that gays deal with by having to "be in the closet" about being straight. If anything, the movie advocates openness and tolerance, something Novak learns about first hand. It's the classic, "walking in another man's shoes" satire.

Ultimately, Three to Tango is a film that pretends to be a romantic comedy but is really a obvious endeavor to promote an image of homosexuality as "normal" through genuinely humorous satire. In an era of political correctness, this is the ultimate film for it. It presents a perfect politically correct image of homosexuality, even going so far as to make it seem like the ideal to strive for. Homosexuals are the good guys, sensitive, understanding, and open, while straight men are losers, who cheat on their wives and are emotionally detached and insensitive.

Three to Tango does it job very well, playing on the audience's emotional output, and challenging their conventions with uneasy situations (as many movies do) to get the audience to agree with the premise.

Matthew Perry's character gets into his situation and gains his love interest precisely because he fits the stereotypical homosexual image (the one of the sensitive well-dressed male without the lisp and limp wrist). The movie seems to say that the homosexual image is the one to strive for, because Perry, a straight man fits it so perfectly and finds happiness with a beautiful woman in the end as a result.

Meanwhile, the quasi bad guy, Dylan McDermott's character, Charles Newmann, is a caricature of a straight man, insensitive, an adulterer, a manly man, who's possessive, jealous, selfish and vindictive. He's over the top and unlikable, precisely because he was written to be that way. McDermott plays the role to the T, which provides a perfect counterpoint to the film's overall portrayal of the straight/gay issue.

The end statement is that sexual orientation should not be the issue, it should be your feelings and who you are.

In all honesty, it's hard not to like this film at least on some level, even if you don't agree with the message that it is preaching. Matthew Perry is an expert at filling out the role of a bewildered man thrown into unexpected and peculiar situations with both humor and sensitivity. He's a wonderful and charming comic actor, and it shows. Neve Campbell is cute as his co-star, and there are a lot of comic moments that are laugh out loud funny.

Of course, a lot of the humor comes directly from Oscar being put in the position of a straight man dealing with being thought of as gay, with some of the humor being overtly sexual in nature. People who disagree with the homosexual lifestyle will understandably dislike this film, because it is openly pro-gay and presents the issue in an extremely one-sided manner.

About the DVD:
Three to Tango comes in a cardboard snap case on a double-sided DVD with both fullscreen and Widescreen versions of the film in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. The image and sound are pretty good for a budget DVD, with only a little film grain or artifacts. The movie is translated into French and has English and French subtitles. One wonders when the big studios will figure out that Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language on the North American continent.

As far as special features, this one has what appears to be something that is becoming standard on Warner Brothers budget DVD releases. They include the theatrical trailer for the film and a series of textual production notes that provide background on the movie. They're interesting to read, but not much as far as special features go. This release even skimps on the actor bios that usually provided with most budget releases.