THREE TO TANGO *** (out of five stars) A review by Jamey Hughton
Starring-Matthew Perry, Neve Campbell, Dylan McDermott and Oliver Platt Director-Damon Santostefano Rated PG Warner Bros.
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When it comes to the cast members of `Friends' making the transition to film, success is scarcely evident. Perhaps the most profitable move to cinema was made by Courteney Cox (now Courteney Cox Arquette), who experienced enormous prosperity with the renowned slasher films `Scream' and `Scream 2'. Matthew Perry, although appealing and undeniably charming, has received the short end of the stick in his ventures to the big screen.
I enjoyed Perry's `Fools Rush In', but the film was generally savaged by critics, leaving it in tattered box office ruins. And in the forgotten comedy `Almost Heroes', the actor looked suitably embarrassed as he played second fiddle to the late Chris Farley. The right vehicle was waiting for Matthew Perry, but until he could work up the courage to track it down, the comfy confines of `Friends' would have to suffice. Is `Three to Tango' the crown jewel in Perry's bag of tarnished rocks? Certainly not. But, with it's beguiling charm and infectious appeal, this light romantic comedy is indeed a tasty entree.
Oscar Novak (Perry) and Peter Steinberg (Oliver Platt) are members of a design team hoping to revitalize an aging city landmark with a new, attractive layout. The project financier is a greedy millionaire named Charles Newman (Dylan McDermott), who must choose between Novak and Steinberg and an opposing design duo (played by John C. McGinley and Bob Balaban). But first.... Charles' secretary overhears a conversation between Oscar and Peter, and makes the inaccurate assumption that they are gay partners. Charles gets immediate wind of this news, and, worried about male competition, he hires Oscar to spy on his beautiful mistress (Neve Campbell) at an art show.
As with most romantic comedies, the primary weakness in `Three to Tango' is in it's setup. The characters are introduced in such a frenzied rush that they come across devoid of depth and discernible feeling. The situations are not particularly funny or interesting. But the mistaken identity premise at the film's core provides more cheerful fun than one would rightfully anticipate. There's nothing you won't be able to predict, but director Damon Santestefano's approach is an inviting one, and the continuous appeal of the actors generates enough fuzzy charm to fill three movies of a similar genre.
Although the issues are interesting, the experience of `Three to Tango' is not going to linger in your mind. It's pleasant, but instantly forgettable. Oscar initially goes along with the false humor of his homosexuality, in fear of letting the definitive moment of his career slip carelessly through his fingers. But, when the news gets out in the open, he is helpless to defend his strictly heterosexual intentions. Borrowing tidbits from the amusing comedy `In and Out', in which Kevin Kline was mistakenly `outed' at the Academy Awards, Oscar's friends and family are left bewildered with the arrival of the shocking news. Amy, Charles, onlookers on a city bus - everyone believes Oscar is gay. As Platt puts it: `You've made a big gay bed, and now you must slumber gayly in it.'
It's nice to see Neve Campbell free herself from the bloody (`Scream') and the dirty (`Wild Things'), and attempt to portray nothing other than good old-fashioned cute. Whenever Campbell lends her bright, attractive charisma to a scene, `Three to Tango' sparkles with genuine appeal. The relationship between Oscar and Amy is convincing, mainly because both leads are charming and have the ability to balance the weight of the relationship with precise believability. The sparks generated in their unlikely romance are extremely hard to resist. And, in wonderful spirit, Oliver Platt once again registers as a quirky supporting player. My question is: when will his assembly line of quirky supporting characters ever stop? There was `The Three Musketeers', `Lake Placid', and now this primary example. One thing is for certain: Platt is good at what he does.
`Three to Tango' is refreshingly full of honest, well-executed humor that will strike a chord with most audience members. What's lacking is the presence of a decent script that doesn't rely heavily on predictable plot devices and underdeveloped characters. However, those characters are played by actors with enormous charm - enough charm to guide this light, enjoyable romantic comedy to moderate success.
(C) 1999, Jamey Hughton
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