The Threesome (2025) Review!!

Synopsis – A young man’s perennial crush leads him into an unexpected threesome, he thinks it’s his ultimate fantasy come true. When the fantasy ends, all three are left with sobering real-world consequences, to take responsibility for their actions.

My Take – With recent films expanding their scope in exploring unconventional family interactions or non-traditional relationships, it was inevitable that they would get in to the dynamics behind a threesome. After all when it comes to sexual fantasies, a threesome is one of the most recognizable and possibly sought-after.

But what if feelings would be thrown into this mix, nothing bad could possibly stem from something like that, right?

That’s basically the gist of this latest directorial effort from Chad Hartigan (Morris From America) who uses debutante writer Ethan Ogilby‘s entertaining script to take viewers into an emotional whirlwind of a love triangle that quickly transforms into an even more complex situation.

While the premise may sound on paper like a setup for a loud, crude sex comedy, the film effectively blends romance and a bit of comedy into a story about complicated relationships, unexpected pregnancies, and how life often doesn’t go to the plan. And though the results are mixed in ways both director Hartigan and writer Ogilby probably didn’t intend, but they’re at once genuinely intriguing and enormously charming given the talent involved.

Sure, the runtime could easily have been trimmed by a good number of minutes without losing any of its emotional weight. As the drawn-out length makes the drama feel sluggish, which at times undercuts its otherwise strong storytelling, yet, the film has plenty going for it.

There is a healthy dose of comedy throughout to help lighten the mood, particularly at the expense of the circumstances the trio find themselves in. But most of all the impeccably calibrated plot, that is full of plausible wild twists and turns, works because the characters responding to the situation act like actual humans and not caricatures. Making it worth a watch.

The story mainly follows Connor (Jonah Hauer-King) who for some time has been pinning for his former coworker Olivia (Zoey Deutch), a waitress who has long put off his advances and seems allergic to commitment. And while his best friend Greg (Jaboukie Young-White) finds pleasure in bringing it up all the time, it doesn’t dissuade Connor. Mainly as Olivia and he had that one magical, albeit drunken, night and if he believes that if he plays his cards right, there may be many more to come.

But following Greg’s urging, Connor introduces himself to Jenny (Ruby Cruz), a lonely girl at the bar Olivia works at and starts flirting with her. Sprinkled in with a bit of Olivia’s jealousy and a lot of alcohol, the night takes an unexpected turn and the three find themselves at Connor’s place and, following Olivia’s lead, end up having a threesome.

Somehow that springboards Connor and Olivia into a relationship and pregnancy news he has always been hoping for. That is until Jenny shows up weeks later and announces that she too is pregnant, flipping his world over. With the shifting decisions and dynamics, the three are forced to navigate whatever reality they decide to deal with from one moment to another as things become ever-increasingly complicated.

From there on the film progresses smoothly with chapters helping guide the narrative. What works well in this setup is how it captures the surprise and messy fallout of romantic mistakes as well as the emotional turmoil that collides with the life plans you thought you had for yourself. Beyond that, it’s a story about having the courage to do the right thing, even when it’s painful, humiliating, or pushes you into uncharted and terrifying territory.

Without a doubt, the heart of this film lies in its characters. At its core, this is a character drama that throws three likable people into a situation that’s messy, complicated, and far from easy to navigate, either together or alone.

The dilemma Connor faces isn’t a new one exactly as he’s attracted to Olivia, but would probably be better off if he started to pursue something with Jenny, the seemingly more steady and sensible of the two. Y

et the film is driven not by a sense of competition, but instead by how the three continue to find out who they are after an evening in which everyone balanced one another’s needs in the bedroom. The trio is inextricably connected by the aftermath and have to figure out what they do and don’t want in their lives by which of the partners they gravitate toward.

What’s most surprising is that writer Ogilby‘s script and director Hartigan’s approach is also courageous in not being ashamed to talk openly about everything that, in other productions, would be considered taboo. From the sexual act itself to the chaos of the double pregnancy, everything is discussed and approached genuinely, no matter how intense the situation becomes. Something that makes the story feel genuinely fresh and gives the narrative its layers. Layers that make the characters’ conflicts and choices interesting.

Yes, director Hartigan does face has difficulty maintaining a certain balance. While some parts are too melodramatic and convoluted just to add another obstacle to the story, others reveal situations that are completely valid and likely to happen in a scenario that’s already insane on its own. In some way, to make the characters’ various trajectories converge on a message about people who try to come together when everything seems impossible.

It helps that Zoey Deutch, Jonah Hauer-King and Ruby Cruz manage to effortlessly embody the complexities and flaws of their characters, making their interactions always credible, even when circumstances become absurd. They are supported by comedian Jaboukie Young-White who bring most of the humor to the narrative. In smaller roles, Josh Segarra, Julia Sweeney, Arden Myrin and Robert Longstreet make for interesting additions. On the whole, ‘The Threesome‘ is a supremely agreeable and outlandish rom com that is consistently funny and insightful.