The highly erotic Argentinian gay-themed film "The Third One," which is a recent addition to the tla releasing DVD catalog, is a nice surprise in that it throws substance in with the copious extremely visual smut. The former largely comes in the form of an entertaining dinner table discussion between the titular 20-something gay man and his older hosts; a prime example of the latter is explicit brief scenes, which include double penetration, of hardcore gay pornography.
The following (PG-13) YouTube clip of the "Third" trailer predictably focuses more on the smut than the substance of the film. However, it shows that the latter is present.
The strong indications that "Third" is porn masquerading as an art house film begin with the opening shots (no pun intended) of 22 year-old Fede pleasuring himself during a webcam chat with roughly 40 year-old Franco. Predictably, their conversation is very racy and alternates between being flirty and borderline dominating. Franco's partner Hernan popping in and out sets the stage for what is to come (no pun intended).
Introducing Hernan into the online mix additionally provides the initial sense of the roles that he and Franco play in their relationships. Gay couples can relate to Hernan being the woman outside of the bedroom but more of a traditional man when hitting the sheets. The related element of the impending comeuppance (pun intended) for Fede regarding his teasing about Hernan being a "housewife" contributes a playful erotic vibe to this scene.
The promise of both a dinner and a "choo choo train" entice Fede to subsequently visit Franco and Hernan. The slight nervousness of the boy regarding no longer having a webcam behind which to hide, the overt friendliness of a very eager Franco, and the cool attitude of a less eager Hernan are all very predictable. Further, couples everywhere along the Kinsey scale can relate to Fede witnessing an manifestation of a long-term "issue" between the couple soon after arriving in their home.
The meat (no pun intended) of the film comes during the scene of the trio eating dinner. This segment further is the best one in the film. We see the group relax, learn more about their lives, and simply have a nice time. In every aspect, this is exactly the conversation that our cast would have if their planned after-dinner activity involved playing Trivial Pursuit or watching a mainstream film.
Another nice scene occurs during a playful one-on-one PG post-dinner conversation on the balcony. This discourse both further highlights the contrasts in the lifestyles between Fede and his more affluent hosts and discusses somewhat insightful life truths.
The next portion of the film arguably is the climax (pun intended) in that it involves the threesome that is the stated purpose of the visit of Fede. These scenes are predictably erotic and fall within the expect realm regarding the portrayal of the explicit nature of the interaction. The suspense relates to the extent to whether one of the three participants will physically and/or emotionally be left out of the fun and whether any of them will have morning after regrets. Fede referring to one of his hosts as a great father during this portion of the film is equally sweet and erotic.
On a related note, the scene in which Fede (who wears the clothes in which he arrives for his visit) takes what traditionally is the walk of shame fuels other great scenes in the film.
The fact that the filmmakers take the time to tell an internationally realistic story and keep their cast clothed throughout much of the movie makes "Third" a non-guilty pleasure. The overall live-stage feel (especially during the dinner scene) makes the movie one that you can enjoy watching with an appropriate group of friends. One warning is that the aforementioned salacious elements may result in engaging in conduct with said friends that you may or may not regret the next morning.
Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Third" is welcome to email me; you can also connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.
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