It’s
great, I think most of us would agree, that we’ve reached a point where
to be gay on screen doesn’t necessarily mean flamboyantly prancing
about — though Sean Hayes certainly did homosexuals no favors in this
regard on Will & Grace. A case in point, though, arrives in the form of Third Man Out,
a straightforward-to-the-point-of-somewhat-flawed procedural starring
erstwhile TV pin-up Chad Allen as a gay detective caught up in a
ripped-from-the-newspapers crime story.
The title passingly evokes The Thin Man,
and purposefully so. Director Ron Oliver says in the opening moments of
a 15-minute interview compilation at movie’s end that he saw the chance
to make “a gay Nick and Nora mystery” out of author Richard Stevenson’s
serial novels as an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. To this end, the
story centers here on Allen’s Donald Strachey, which one character
notes is “the only gay private eye in the capital area, maybe all of
New York state,” which is kind of doubtful. Still, when Strachey is
reluctantly drafted into protecting a gay activist, John Rutka (Jack
Wetherall), known for “outing” prominent citizens, he encounters a
mystery much deeper and more dangerous than he initially suspects. When
Rutka eventually turns up dead, Strachey must sift through an extensive
list of enemies, all with plenty of motive.
The dialogue and acting here are of above-average quality, though
the actual story itself and directorial execution — though obviously
done on a shoestring budget — are a bit less than stellar, suffering
from a certain obviousness. Third Man Out works to the degree
that it does because of the careful balance in tone. Its characters are
quippy, but not flip or derisive; its tone turns dangerous, but never
so menacing as to make everything else feel out of sorts. All in all,
gay and metrosexual Law & Order fans will find ample reward in this title, which also costars Sean Young and Woody Jeffreys.
Third Man Out sees release from Genius Entertainment alongside the first season of Dante’s Cove, a sort of mash-up of the pre-hysterical bitchery of Melrose Place (there was a time, believe it or not) and Buffy the Vampire Slayer,
wherein surf culture and gothic horror are interspersed with
supernatural mystery and quotidian relationship struggles. Again, both
titles score points by not overly doting upon many of the struggles
traditionally associated with being gay — and particularly found in
sermon-to-the-choir independent film, I’m afraid to report — but
instead simply presenting their characters as professionals who
incidentally happen to be gay.
Third Man Out is presented in what is billed as 1.78:1
widescreen (though it looks more like 1.66:1, to be honest), with Dolby
digital 5.1 surround sound and stereo audio mixes. The aforementioned
production featurette is the sole bonus feature, but it does thankfully
cover a good bit of ground. There’s a lot of frank discussion and broad
range of opinion on coming out, including Allen talking about his
attempted real-life extortion at the hands of a tabloid. Gay adult star
and Third Man Out bit player Matthew Rush, meanwhile (who here,
yes, plays a porn star), pops up to offer this hilarious nugget of
wisdom: “I’ve been doing a lot of stage work over the past two years,
and also adult movies, and they’re very different.” Umm, no kidding —
really? To purchase the film via Amazon, click here. C+ (Movie) C+ (Disc)