directed by:
Blake Tamarkin written by: Blake Tamarkin genre: Comedy, Drama |
“Did you have sex with my girlfriend?” It’s always an interesting question when it comes right down to it. Some of you out there might have even asked somebody that very same thing at some point in time. You’ve already lost the battle if you have to ask that of someone, I figure - it not only sounds desperate, but it’s definitely an indication that you’re no longer really talking to your significant other. You might still be together or even live together perhaps, but that question is definitely a sign that any meaningful & important dialogue between ya has long since passed. Young Ray is clearly on the outs of his relationship; it just appears that he doesn’t know it yet when we first meet him. His girlfriend, Cecilia, has been stepping out on him with some guy named Trevor, and while he’s piecing the puzzle together slowly, it clearly doesn’t feel that good. They had spent six years with each other, which is a significant amount of time, and just like that, it was over.
Writer/Director Blake Tamarkin decides to give you this little bit of information before rewinding things to three days prior in order to tell this story. You know, the easygoing salad days of seventy-two hours prior. Clearly, that’s not the case – it’s more like the beginning of the end of Ray & Cecilia, even though they’ve already decided to be on a break from each other before. Ever been in one of those push/pull relationships where you don’t know if you’ll be with somebody from one week to the next, making up and breaking up all the time? They’re super fun. Not really. You’ll see early on that Ray has no massive qualms about being on a break himself while he’s nuts deep in some other lady than Cecilia, but like just about every man on the planet, it’s a big heckin’ deal when he realizes that she’s probably on the same kind of break. Rules for thee, but not for me, as they say. Men are so incredibly fragile, and all of the time. Ray will even tell you himself that he didn’t see the end of his relationship coming, which I think is a remarkably insightful part of this story and very relatable to so many others you’ve met in your life. As a person that’s been in a committed relationship for more than twenty years – a truly committed relationship where my wife and I know each other inside & out – it seems altogether foreign to me that you could share space and a life with somebody and not have any idea as to how things are really going. To me, the suggestion that Ray doesn’t have any clue about the impending end of his relationship truly suggests to me that he’s basically doing relationships wrong, you know what I mean? What I can easily sympathize with is that Ray is young and still figuring just about everything out in his life. It does take years of trial and error before you even have the concept of what a stable relationship might actually be. “Just kiss her on the cheek and wave goodbye,” says Ray’s old man. I gotta say, I don’t think he’s wrong about that. Ray starts to spiral pretty hard. He’s at the bar, playing songs like “Last Kiss” while everyone else is still trying to live their life and have a good time. That’s how it goes, though, doesn’t it? In the aftermath of a relationship, it’s hard not to slip into a self-induced pity-party for one. His friend Bird is pissed off at him for not snapping out of it, taking on a role that’s similar to how Ben Affleck used to rag on Matt Damon’s character in “Good Will Hunting.” Bird (Jason Tamarkin) knows his limitations, and he knows Ray’s superior potential. Similar to Affleck’s character from that legendary movie, he doesn’t hold the good stuff against Ray – but he does carry a grudge against his friend’s consistently wasted potential. Are they aware of these similarities between characters? “Hollywood is so non-creative, they steal bad ideas and make’em worse – if those assholes can do it, so can you.” Seems pretty meta to me. There are some significant bright spots in this cast of characters. Coco, for instance, is a complete ray of realistic sunshine. Played by Kelsey Tarantino, she lights up the screen every time we see her. Then there’s her own boyfriend Alex, played by Ricky Lavezzi – trust me when I tell ya, you won’t forget the scene where you meet him for the very first time. As for our main character, Ray, played by Anthony Casablanca, he’s good. I don’t know that I’d describe him as the next big thing - yet, but I do think the young man has enough chops to carry the lead in this film. Bird, played by Jason Tamarkin, has got himself a plush role in “Third Wheel,” and he finds the right angle/connection to it in order to make the ordinary man he’s playing be as sarcastic or as special as he needs to be in every situation. Continuing to keep things in the family, Blake has cast Kailey Tamarkin as Cecilia to round out the main characters of this cast. There are a few others here & there that count & contribute, like the local regulars at Bird’s bar, for instance. It’s a strong cast when they combine their talents, and they complement each other.
From flashback scenes to current struggles to a stellar use of the soundtrack in “Third Wheel,” Blake definitely has perspective as a director, and he writes with tangible emotion involved at the heart of it all. Like many films I’ve been watching as of late, it does feel like “Third Wheel” runs a bit on the long side and that Blake could probably use a sharper pencil when it comes to the editing of his script for what needs to be included. That being said, I’m not entirely opposed to what he’s got here either. Sure, it could have been a little bit tighter in the journey from point A to point B, but at the same time, we really do get to know the characters in this movie, and I appreciate that. Ultimately, I think it’s majorly important in films like “Third Wheel” that might not be praised for their originality. When you can’t be entirely original, you can certainly compensate by telling a story well, with characters that stand out. It isn’t me that Blake needs to worry about, though – it’s the masses and their attention spans…and as it stands, this movie could likely use a trim here & there so that they don’t get too restless along the way. Will Lindsay (Carly Wilson) be enough to snap Ray outta his funk and be a part of the kind of relationship he’s always wanted to have? Hard to say. From the outside looking in, she seems to be a bit needlessly challenging, but maybe that’s just the way I see it. Ray seems happy about her – nervous, because that’s how Lindsay rolls when it comes to confrontation and dealing with people – but still happy nonetheless. It gives “Third Wheel” the solid potential for Ray’s second act, but I did have to ask myself at times if this new direction for the plotline slowed down the momentum that the movie was building when it was more about Ray’s breakup and such. When we end up in a lip-synch battle that’s reminiscent of what you saw long ago in “Dirty Dancing,” you start to wonder if all these borrowed bits from other films are too noticeable in a way that could be detrimental for viewers. Still, if you’re looking for Ray’s story to have a little bit of hope and positivity at long last, the introduction of Lindsay’s character provides that possibility. It’s good to see Ray smiling as he’s dancing on the streets. Will his happiness last? Does anything last? What happens when Cecilia threatens to re-enter Ray’s life again? Can his relationship with Lindsay survive that? Will Bird finally slap this motherf**ker across the face to wake him up like we’ve all been hoping he will as we watch “Third Wheel?” On the strengths of the supporting cast like Kelsey, Ricky, and Jason, in addition to Blake’s ability to tell a relevant, relatable, and interesting story that deals with all aspects of love, relationships, and everything that comes along with it, I feel like “Third Wheel” deserves three and a half stars out of five. It might not be the most original film that you’ll see this year, but it is enjoyable and packs in a real emotional punch by the end. |
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