SXSW Review: The Threesome
The 2025 SXSW Film Festival wasted no time getting to its home run hitting premieres. While the largest crowds descend upon downtown Austin hoping to gain entry into the Opening Night and Headliner films, and this year’s Another Simple Favor being no exception to that rule, it turns out a lesser-known debut stole the first day of the festival.
Chad Hartigan has been an indie filmmaker in the purest sense of the phrase since the turn of the 2000s. His catalog is filled with mostly unknown works, mostly comedies and dramas that even I haven’t seen. His most notable accomplishment is the 2020 Olivia Cooke (Ready Player One) and Jack O’Connell (Unbroken) sci-fi romance, Little Fish, which follows a couple struggling to keep their relationship intact as a memory-loss virus sweeps across the globe. Little Fish was a fine little indie film but, from the success of his latest title, The Threesome, it’s clear that Hartigan is at his absolute best when the jokes are flowing.
The Threesome examines the complicated relationship of Olivia (Juror #2’s Zoey Deutch) and Connor (The Little Mermaid’s Jonah Hauer-King), two friends who had sex once before. While Olivia has never felt motivated to go down that road again, it was a truly meaningful moment for Connor as he’s fallen hard for her. And when a fun night out together leads to an impromptu threesome with a stranger named Jenny (Bottoms’ Ruby Cruz), their chance at a real relationship is completely upended when things go terribly wrong in every way imaginable.
Director Chad Hartigan is a self-described lover of romantic comedies. However, his goal with The Threesome, along screenwriter Ethan Ogilby, was to avoid the traditional, glossy and rosy Rom-Com formula with destined lovers overcoming simple and silly conflicts. He wanted his story to be, in his own words, “messier”, filled with challenging dilemmas and unbreakable consequences. Thankfully, The Threesome gives us all that and so much more.
At its core, the film is a love story. But finding and keeping love strongly intact can be difficult. No one understands this truth more than Connor. Every step forward he takes with Olivia, the clear and undeniable love of his life, he somehow finds himself stumbling two steps back. In most Rom-Coms you feel certain that the main couple will reconnect at the end. Thanks to a brilliant script filled with deeply-written characters, and smartly crafted obstacles, the audience is forced to navigate this couple’s journey without that typical sense of assurance. What transpires on screen is both hilariously unimaginable and emotionally heartbreaking as lives become altered forever. This rollercoaster ride transforms into a devotion of time, energy, and every ounce of your heart.
Along with a strong collection of supporting stars, the leading trio of Zoey Deutch, Jonah Hauer-King and Ruby Cruz are nothing short of spectacular. They work in tandem seamlessly, and shine brightly as individuals. Each of their performances are well-rounded and robust. Their comedic timing, charm and full commitment to their characters work hand-in-hand with Ethan Ogilby’s refreshingly original story to elevate The Threesome into one of the most thoughtful and impactful romantic comedies of the 2000s.
GRADE: 4 out of 5 stars
