To be gay, or not to be gay? That is the question. No, not quite Shakespeare, but more like Anne Heche. That is roughly the premise behind Three to Tango, only the person in question does not get to answer the question himself.

The person in question is architect Oscar Novak (Matthew Perry from Fools Rush In & TV’s Friends) who along with business partner Peter Steinberg (Oliver Platt, Doctor Dolittle) are submitting a proposal for a new cultural center in Chicago. Oscar has problems with the ladies, but is not gay. On the other hand, Peter is gay, so many people decree guilt by association. These two up-and-coming architects are up against a powerhouse architect firm led by Strauss (John C. McGinley, Office Space) and Decker (Bob Balaban) to design and lead the project for business tycoon Charles Newman (Dylan McDermott, Home for the Holidays). This is where the rumor that Oscar is gay begins as Charles asks him to accompany/keep an eye on his girlfriend Amy (Neve Campbell, 54) around town as Charles attends functions with his own wife. Charles even asks Oscar if he is that way, and Oscar says definitely, but doesn’t realize he was being asked if he was gay (he thought Charles was asking if he was Hungarian). Since Charles thinks Oscar is gay, he assumes that it will be safe for Oscar to hangout with Amy, but Oscar doesn’t know this at first. Eventually, he and everyone he knows finds this out (that he is gay, but not really), which shocks them all, especially Oscar and his father. Meanwhile, Oscar is falling hard for this woman that he cannot have, and in return Amy is falling for a man she assumes she cannot have. While on the periphery, Peter tries to keep hope alive for their design effort in a run-off with Strauss & Decker. Plus there is this football player friend of Amy’s, Kevin Cartwright (Cylk Cozart), that Oscar likes, but not in that way, but Kevin sure seems to like Oscar, in that way. Anyway, much of what happens is reminiscent of the first part of In & Out, only funnier.

Three to Tango is directed by Damon Santostefano with Rodney Patrick Vaccaro responsible for the writing. Others in the film are Kelly Rowan, Deborah Rush, Patrick Van Horn, Rick Gomez, David Ramsey, Shaun Smyth, and Ho Chow.

I cannot stress enough that despite being politically incorrect, Three to Tango is a hilarious farce. Matthew Perry does well as Oscar, but then again Oscar is pretty much a clone of Chandler. The jokes are great, the interaction between Oscar and Amy is good, and the irony is superb. Finally, no nudity, but nine couches out of the usual ten.

Last updated: Thursday, March 20, 2008 02:45:55 AM

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