User Reviews

Some truly stupid behavior (excused, in part, by every criminal in this movie being a rank amateur) hampers an otherwise passable crime movie about sloppy blackmailing, sloppy kidnapping, and not-always-sloppy plots within plots. Despite the foolish actions, the dialogue and performances are good, especially those of Dominic Purcell and Gina Gershon. Ali Larter looks fantastic, and the locations are nice even if the time-lapse scenery jumps get a little tiresome by movie's end.

Worth a look for fans of the genre, but by no means the soft-core porn flick some posts here (and the title - I wish!) suggest. Well, one scene, and no, it features neither Gershon nor Larter.

"3-Way" is not as good as the cover makes it look. The director's "hip" visual style is only obtrusive. For example, in the beginning we can't be sure if the action is taking place in a motel room or on a boat! But even when the pieces start falling together, the story only gets stupider. The dialogue is often idiotic and the plot is contrived ("I was in the right place at the right time") and convoluted; for a "plan" movie to work, you have to believe that the plan has at least some chance to succeed - the plan in this film seems doomed from the beginning. Dominic Purcell is a charisma-free lead, all the girls are pretty (especially Joy Bryant), but the best acting job by far is done by a really creepy Dwight Yoakam. (**)

1st watched 5/29/2006 - 4 out of 10(Dir-Scott Ziehl): So-so straight to video story about blackmailers being blackmailed by a man who overhears their plot to kill the man's current wife and receive the inheritance. The man who overhears the plot is played by Dominic Purcell as Lew, who just happens to have a checkered past himself and is looking for a way to disappear and thinks he's found it. Other characters enter the story including the brother of someone that the main character supposedly killed and is played by Dwight Youkim and the wife who is supposed to be ofted, played by Gina Gershon. These two more well known names have smaller parts but the DVD box tries to sell them as stars in the movie. Joy Bryant has a bigger role as Lew's girlfriend and partner in his scheme and does a good job in her character. The problem with the movie is that the story doesn't keep your interest and Purcell doesn't do a very good job of carrying the movie. He plays his part half-heartedly and the movie moves along at the same speed making for a very, as I said before, so-so movie.

Well, I should have known the underlying rule in soft porn flics. The girl you want to see with her shirt off never takes it off. Where is the justice? Ali Larter with two sex scenes and nothing more than a naval. I can't believe she stooped to this movie, same with Gina Gershon. This movie was garbage. The "unexpected plot twists were expected, predictable, and worthless. What crap! Trust me on this one, this is 88 minutes of your life that you'll NEVER SEE AGAIN! Ali Larter and Gina Gershon both keep their clothes on the entire movie, and the plot sucks. Your lead guy plays such a moron that you hope something bad happens to him. The lead girl is annoying and the ending doesn't fool anyone, it's still crap. Avoid at all costs.

I had never heard of Three Way, but when I was at Hollywood Video, I noticed the film and saw that Gina Gershon was in it. I like her, so I decided to go ahead and pick up the film; so I watched it last night and I was really disappointed. First off, Gina was in the movie for barely 5 minutes, the plot had potential, but most of the actors ruined the movie for me, I mean, absolutely none of the characters were at all likable. The main character, Lew, wasn't even a cool anti-hero, he just seemed to complain too much. The film wasn't very well shot and it just seemed like it was more of a chore and a movie that most of the cast and crew just wanted to get through. I also do not mind sex in a movie, but some of the sex scenes were just plain unnecessary and didn't add anything to the supposed story.

Lew is a guy who just complains so much of how badly life is treating him, his wife has been murdered and he got rid of her body with her lover's as well, instead of going to the police. But he's moved on, has a new girlfriend, and they are both in debt. One night he over hears a couple plotting to kidnap a woman who has a rich family. The couple has been having an affair, and it turns out that the guy is kidnapping his wife and is expecting a million dollars, but Lew wants that money and has other plans in mind for them.

Three Way isn't the worst film I saw, the beginning of the film wasn't so bad, it had enough potential, but there were things that were left unexplained. Like we see Lew go onto the boat where his wife and her lover were killed, he has a gun, was he intending to kill them or scare them or what? The scene between Lew and Florence where she was trying to seduce him didn't make much sense, I know what it was, I got the scene, but the whole story of that wasn't needed. I just think that the film could've been made better, or at least had a better cast, Gina's talent was very much wasted on this stupid film.

3/10

I checked out this indie-type Crime film because i like the underrated actor DESMOND HARRINGTON (Wrong Turn, Ghost Ship, Exit Speed) but he's apart of a small ensemble cast & doe's have a big role or any but he's decent in this twisty crime film.

Actually the worst performance in the entire movie goes to DOMINIC PERCELL (Prison Break) as the small time criminal loser Lew, a guy who accidentally overheard a ransom plot by a couple in a car (Desmond Harrington & Ali Larter) & decides to take their hostage (Gina Gershon) & collect the Million dollar ransom for himself. This being a crime Thriller its full of deceit, sex, smoking, black mail & stupidly decisions. Nothing really takes off to be exciting or thrilling & what we get is DOMINIC PERCELL having lots of sex & smoking lots & trying to look, talk & smoke like Mel Gibson does in LETHAL WEAPON!!! DOMINIC must've studied Gibson because every line he said is in Gibson's voice & his wild eyes & mannerisms lol i think PERCELL hadn't found his own acting style yet & just cloned himself as RIGGS from LETHAL WEAPON!!!

Ali Larter is sexy & Desmond Harrington is funny & thats about it in the erotic type crime flick.

Dwight Yoakam in amongst the cast too as a double crossing bad guy but like i said nothing really happens.

Lots of double crossing & stuff but no one is particularly smart in what crime their trying to pull off.

A boring crime film.

THREE WAY is a modern-day attempt to update the classic 1940s film noir genre to a modern setting, featuring a protagonist up to his neck in murky dealings as he attempts to turn a planned kidnapping to his own advantage. The title and the inclusion of some extraneous sex scenes make this look like an attempt to plough the same furrow as WILD THINGS, but this is nowhere near as good.

Dominic Purcell's protagonist is one of the worst things about this: he's ineffective and weak throughout, and you just wish he'd man up and throw a punch here and there. None of the other cast members are particularly good, with Gina Gerson's role a limited one - she seems to be included for name value alone.

Although the convoluted plotting could have been interesting in better hands, often the writing feels lazy here and many sequences which should be suspenseful just aren't - they're boring instead. After I finished watching, I couldn't help but consider this a waste of time.

I don't believe this film is a serious one. We see our hero half naked or with his favorite white shirt, and he never beats someone as we expect from an ordinary Hollywood movie. Also he keeps one eye always behind the door, watching women, but never succeeds.. If you have time, take a look.. I had so much time to laugh, and had a funny night after the film with discussions about storyline and characters. The movie shocks you when you try to guess the actions "our hero" will take place. By the way, the funniest thing about movie is, "our white shirted hero" was in better condition before he takes his time for some action. I think it will be a cult movie when people realize there is such a film.. Not serious, though..

Lew (Dominic Purcell) is a carpenter with a past, who accidentally hears the conversation of two lovers in a car in an isolated spot about a kidnapping of a woman of a wealthy local family. He architects a plan with his girlfriend Rita (Joy Bryant) to steal the ransom from the couple, but things do not work how planned. "3-Way" is a erotic and sexy film-noir, with a very reasonable story and very beautiful actresses. There are many plot points and double-crosses, and I found it interesting. However, the commercial conclusion spoils the film. The director and the writer should have seen the masterpiece "Body Heat" and offer an end more suitable for such amoral story. The participation of Gina Gershon is minimum, basically to give her name to the credits. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Seqüestro, Chantagem e Morte" ("Kidnapping, Blackmail and Death")

Yes, I myself, a huge Gina Gershon fan, was quite disappointed.The one reason I rented this movie was because of her and I guess she obviously had some free time or was offered a nice monetary payday. The biggest issue I had about 3 Way was the lack of concentration and focus regarding the continuity. The black pullover ski cap with the bright and very noticeable yellow smily face that was on Gina during her introduction to Dominic Purcel.(Who?) The face was visible as the hat was pulled up to her nose. The very next scene the face was gone but the ski cap was still on and pulled up to the same spot. Whether the hat was turned around or replaced, this was a very sloppy and negligent error in principle shooting and post production.

"The participation of Gina Gershon is minimum, basically to give her name to the credits." No offense Ms. Gershon, but DUDE from Brazil obviously must be a big fan of yours, "Watch out" - I had to actually "IMDB" Gina, b/c I could not place her in anything. I came to this movie b/c I saw that Ali Larter produced - 'VERY HOT LADY' if you are reading this Ali 'Just one date, please?!!' I did see that Dwight Yoakum is in this movie and I may just rent it since it also sounds good. The ten line minimum must be done away with, it is really annoying. Please do not block my account!!!!! I'm seriously not trying to pad my comment, its just that I feel that 1000 words and/or 10 lines is way too much.

Full disclosure here...I picked up this movie because I love to look at Dominic Purcell. So charismatic is this very attractive guy that he can make smoking sexy (and he does A LOT of it during the film). Believe me, an actor must have a high degree of sexiness to make me still like him when he smokes this much. And I must give the director credit, the sex (at times gratuitous but always fun) gives equal time to all genders...the women are sexy, the men are sexy, and each really seems to enjoy the act- this must be a difficult task to pull off, at least in a mainstream movie when the sex is not real. But I don't mean to overemphasize the sex in this potboiler. It is hot (although not as hot as it could be...), but, at times, it is actually integral to the plot. I will go topic by topic in my review... Acting: pretty darned good, except Ms. Gershon. She starts out with a bang, with one overheard scene (a nice touch by the intriguing writer), but she falters in an awful scene that attempts to capitalize on the untapped possibilities of Stockholm syndrome; but top honors have to go to Joy Bryant, in a thankless role that gives her some puzzling lines to deliver, some of which are confusing (very), at least until the denouement. Ms Larter need some work (despite some interesting work in fluff like American Outlaws and the Final Destination series), and she certainly cannot deliver some hardboiled lines like those after her sexual encounter with the kinda hot Desmond Harrington which deal with the problem of secrets, namely that no one can keep them. Mr Yoakam, as always, deserves better- he smolders with an odd sexuality that rivets the watcher as long as he is on the scene; he even makes pain believable. Directing: like I said, somehow the director makes the sex interesting for people of all sexes and sexual persuasions (I especially like Purcell's tattoos), but at times some of his scenes seem forced. The stand-out is the overheard scene between Harrington and Gershon (although, oddly, Ms. Larter can't pull it off)...credit the writer for this, which brings me to... Writing: some very interesting stuff (despite the dialogue between Larter and Harrington in their car toward the beginning- but perhaps we should blame Larter). The theme of overheard plans (however well-laid they may be) may be derived from the book (I don't know), but its commonness in the film is a reason I think this writer is smarter than the material he has been given- the script sets up events in a necessary manner which is often lacking these days; how many times have you said to yourself, why is this happening? This event does not necessarily follow from the last! There is a GREAT scene toward the end between Bryant and Purcell when they don't quite understand one another that is hilarious, but it is so subtle that it may be missed. The ending: well, despite some tantalizing dialogue, the ending is not so much a surprise as a relief. Everyone gets what they deserve, and the right people end up with one another. I just wish Yoakam's character had reached a more interesting end- at least we get one last look at Purcell on the beach. Perhaps he is more appealing to gay males, but, well, give him a chance, women! Overall, if you are a little drunk on a Fri night and want some sexual titillation paired with some degree of intellectual stimulation, you could do worse than this thriller. At least it holds together and provides a great deal of pleasure, even if it won't be on any Academy voter's list.

The movie was OK about 6 out of ten. It had some twists and an interesting story line. The individuals that wrote about this movie need to rethink their thoughts. Joy Bryant is the most beautiful woman in the movie by about 5 miles. It is not even close. The other two females have had more movies, but based on looks I don't see how you could even compare them to Joy Bryant. The only thing I don't understand about Hollywood, does any female actresses not take their cloths off anymore? It is common in almost every movie now for some female actress to take their top off. Isn't there a little bit more to these movies or is that all California wants to produce.

The old film noir standbys are dusted off and presented for the viewer's pleasure- sex, murder, double crosses- and yet through it all Gina Gershon somehow manages to keep her clothes on. Lew (Dominic Purcell) is a handsome thug with a run of bad luck. His wife Janice (an unrecognizable Roxana Zal) has just dumped his loser butt. He does a little dumping of his own, tossing the bullet-riddled bodies of Janice and her new boyfriend in the Pacific Ocean. Eight months later, Lew lives next door to an abandoned gas station- keeping busy painting signs, avoiding the cops, and canoodling with local realtor Rita (Joy Bryant). One night, Lew overhears businessman Ralph (Desmond Harrington) and his girlfriend Isobel (Ali Larter) plot to kidnap and murder Ralph's shrewish wife Florence (Gina Gershon), whose family is rich. Lew decides to kidnap the kidnapped and keep the money for himself. Okey dokey, we've got a smart plan and nothing could possibly go wrong to spoil this, except a very strange man named Herbert (Dwight Yoakam) contacts Rita, wanting to buy the land Lew is living on.

Director Ziehl has a lot of fun with the pulpy screenplay, based on a novel by Gil Brewer. His trippy visuals include fast and slow motion, and time lapse photography, all of which throws the viewer off kilter. I could have done without the endless shots of Lew getting a beer, and Rita storming out of his house in a sexy huff, but that might be blamed on the screenwriter. This is an exaggerated look at the lives of a bunch of losers, and Ziehl lets the audience in on his smirking judgmental attitude. The entire cast is good across the board. Bryant, Larter, and Gershon are no femme fatales, but the sexual tension radiates from them in waves. Gershon's role is pretty small, but she plays very well off of Harrington's idiotic Ralph. Never you mind that Purcell looks like Jim Belushi on the DVD cover, he does a great job as Lew. Lew is about as smart as a bag of hair, and I was glad Purcell played him only slightly sympathetic. Harrington is a hoot as Ralph, and Yoakam downplays the psychotic Herbert, much to my relief. So, all the elements are here, and they are all done well. Hot sex scenes, violence, suspense- all the well-worn and tried-and-true ingredients- and therein lies the problem. From "Double Indemnity" to "Body Heat," from Bogie and Bacall to Travolta and Thurman, we have been down this dusty noir road before. While watching the film, I was reminded of many other "kidnappings gone awry" flicks like "Ruthless People," "Ransom," and "Trapped," to name just three. "Three Way" is no different. It is no better or worse than any of those other films, but it breezes through for almost ninety minutes, and then ends, becoming dangerously forgettable. "Three Way" would be totally comfortable playing on Spike TV or Cinemax at two in the morning. You won't be bored, and it sure beats the hell out of juicer infomercials.