In Three to Tango (Warner Bros.), Oscar (Matthew Perry, Friends) and Peter (Oliver Platt, The Impostors) are partners in a small architectural firm. When they are offered a chance at a multimillion dollar project sponsored by wealthy businessman Charles Newman, (Dylan McDermott, The Practice) it seems like a dream come true. Unfortunately, Charles wants Oscar to do another job for him. He wants him to baby-sit his young, pretty mistress, Amy (Neve Campbell, Party of Five).
Charles is concerned about what Amy is doing on the nights he must spend with his wife. He wants Oscar to befriend her and then spy on her. Oscar never questions why Charles singles him out for this task. However, he soon finds out – Charles thinks Oscar is gay and therefore can be trusted. Before long everyone else is misinformed about Oscar’s sexuality, but Oscar has bigger problems.
Oscar meets Amy when a large piece of her artwork falls on him. The rest of their first evening together proves to be equally dangerous for his body and his heart. Perry and Campbell prove adept at physical comedy. One calamity after another befalls them in a series of hilarious but unrealistic events. Their injury-filled first night and the unusual friendship they form make the film funny, but Three to Tango also has some substance.
When the main character of a story is thought to be gay, the film has enormous potential to be trite, awkward or stereotypical. Three to Tango avoids falling into this trap. Oscar’s situation adds more to the film than just a few cheap jokes. It deepens the relationship between the romantic leads, allowing them to form a close friendship that is based on more than physical attraction. It also gives more depth to the friendship between Oscar and Peter, who really is gay. Finally, movie-goers see what it’s like to pretend to be something they’re not.
Three to Tango is a predictable movie, but it is full of surprises. Although you see many of the punch lines coming, you laugh at most of the jokes anyway. The plot is formulaic, yet it manages to throw in a few quirks that make an impact because they are unexpected in a seemingly obvious storyline.
Three to Tango is playing in theaters.
