Can gay men ever successfully by polyamorous ? Success being judged by the fact that all of the men involved in the relationship consider themselves happy. It is obvious a question that intrigued writer/director Jeff Swafford and that he made the focus of his dramatic web-series aptly called Three.
It is the tale of two men in their later 30’s ….actually Patrick (Kevin Thornton) has just celebrated his big 40 birthday, and his age is now weighing heavily on him. So too is the fact that his 7 year relationship with Dylan (Justin Hand) has settled into a comfortable complacency where sex rarely rears its head. It takes a heated row before Dylan will go along with Patrick’s suggestion that maybe they need a third to bring some spice into their bedroom and help reignite their own dormant passion. When they cruise an online hook up site, Dylan tries to sabotage the idea before it has even begun by objecting to all Patrick’s choices of men. The do however settle on one called Mr Hot Bottom and to Dylan’s surprise sharing their bed with him wasn’t nearly as bad as he had thought.
Thinking that would be end of the matter now that Patrick had ‘got it out of his system’ Dylan is shocked to find that he has invited Jason (Daniel Mark Collins), a man he had just met at the gym, home for dinner and possibly more. Jason is 10 years their junior and a perfect stunner too and naturally ends up in bed with them.
It turns out that he is new in town and has no friends yet so as the night was such a success, he is invited back for the next night, and then the next etc. until Patrick suggests he moves into the spare room. But of course he never ever sleeps in it. Even though the sex is good, Dylan constantly whines to his neighbor/best friend Elliot (Derek Whittaker) that the situation is spiraling out on control. Which is not a view shared by a blissfully happy Patrick, so when Dylan takes matters into his own hand, it causes a major confrontation where he gives Patrick an ultimatum.
It’s not a bad wee story at all that despite its micro budget, but it fails to really convince simply because there is actually zero chemistry between Patrick and Derek in the very first place. It just makes for a total lack of any surprise as the story unwinds. On the plus side though, Whittaker as Elliot the camp neighbor is spot on as the comic relief, and Collins is so cute as Jason he could make anyone question their own relationship.
Labels: 2017, drama, nudity, Web series
