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Three and Out [2008]


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Poor effort
Review date: 2008-11-09 Rating: 2 out of 10

I've seen some really poor films recently and this is no exception.

The central premise of the film is a good one. A tube driver, having accidently caused the death of two people, is convinced by work colleagues that if he gets a third in the same month he will be paid off by the company enabling him to buy his dream house. He therefore goes looking for a victim to assist him to this end (and there's).

He eventually finds a patsy but things take an unexpected turn from this point on and the film becomes a bit of a mess. The problem is that the film can't decide if it's a black comedy or a rites of passage. In the end it fails to be either and just left me ultimately disatisfied and rather bored. Comic situations abound but none of them are actually funny and the relationship between Crook and Meaney is never convincing or moving.

Makenzie Crook is a strange lead for the film. His perpetual maudlin expression matched my own and his coupling with Artetan was unconvincing.

Just avoid at all costs.

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Reviews


Distinctly average
Review date: 2008-10-02 Rating: 6 out of 10

An average sort of film. In some ways it reminded me of a poor man's "Withnail and I". Mackenzie Crook is a good comedy actor but in this film he is totally outshadowed by the supporting cast, particularly Colm Meaney, who is the star for me. Also good performances by Imelda Staunton and Gemma Arterton.

Don't bother with the extras. The "making of" is nothing of the sort. Just the director and cast telling us what we have already seen and the so called deleted scenes consist of large chunks of the existing film with a few seconds of mostly uninteresting cut dialogue inserted.

Three and Out: more than meets the eye
Review date: 2008-09-24 Rating: 8 out of 10

The film 'Three and Out' is ultimately an enlightening polarisation of monotony vs adventure, solitute vs friendship, and futility juxtaposed with a real meaning in one's life. The film's protagonist, a London underground driver, Paul Callow (MacKenzie Crook), haphazardly manages to run over two people within a short space of time; rather than submerge in the contrition one would expect from a man so disollusioned with his own life and so often yearning for some kind of utopia, Callow envisages hope: his colleagues at work trick him into believing that should he "accidentally" kill another passenger on the underground within the same month, an abundant redundancy package would follow. Suddenly, Callow's aspirations of escapism become cleverly enfolded in his own narrative and the story really begins. Like one of life's most prosaic yet profound messages, Callow discovers that the solution does not neccessarily lie in a quick fix. Although he arranges to run over Tommy Cassidy (Colm Meaney), whose prospects are also outweighed by his fortunes, their relationship gradually moulds into a unique bond of mutual admiration and respect. Along the way, the play continues to champion the strength and pain in family values, and the fulfilment a new love can bring to an otherwise unhappy existence, as Callow falls for and (somehow) manages to seduce Cassidy's nubile daughter, Frankie (Gemma Arteton). Simultaneous to these rather ponderous messages, the film conveys a laugh or too, none more so when Cassidy chases an embarassed and semi-adorned Callow from his daughter's bed to the depths of the countryside, before collapsing, too fatigued and unhealthy to continue. Callow's ascendancy is obliquely parralelled in Cassidy's own short-lived happiness at finally speaking again with his wife, Rosemary (Imelda Staunton), and such positivity should not be overshadowed by Callow and Cassidy closing their deal.

In short, this film offers so much more than a typical British comedy and its subfusiveness of so many different themes and genres is testament to its overall intricacy and effectiveness.



Certainly different, but not in a good way...
Review date: 2008-09-16 Rating: 4 out of 10

I was expecting it to be the next great British black-comedy, but Three And Out is actually really disappointing.

Premise: A shy, middle-aged train driver is living in London but dreams of moving to Ireland and enjoying the rest of his life in piece... So when his friends tell him about 'Three And Out' (i.e. train drivers get ten years wages for unintentionally running three people over in one month) he takes this as the perfect opportunity to change his life (as he's already been the unfortunate driver to one suicide and one fateful accident). Two down, one to go...

Problem: On a Friday evening, he eventually finds someone who's willing to enjoy £1500 over Saturday and Sunday, only to be run over by a train on Monday morning. It's a bit of a nasty set-up, isn't it? ...But the film doesn't seem to think so. Three And Out is ultimately a very depressing film. It's truly heart-breaking, as all the way through, you get to know and love this character, watching them do everything they can to fix all the problems with their life... but with a constant knowing that they're going to die at the end!

Amongst this, the film tries to squeeze in the odd joke here and there, but fails miserably. None of them work. Having watched it with four other people, it didn't make any of us laugh. There are so many obvious mistakes throughout the 90odd minute running time that it becomes wearing. The acting is good from a great cast of British stars, but it's not at all memorable. The direction is tired and lazy, along with the script and screenplay- which slowly start to give you the feeling that the film-makers just haven't tried. (The `twist' at the end was obvious from the beginning, as the whole thing seemed rather far-fetched anyway.)

Verdict: Don't buy Three And Out if want black-comedy, or any kind of comedy in fact- try Shaun Of The Dead or Big Nothing. However, if you want a film with heavy unintentional emotional strain, and that leaves you feeling a bit `empty' at the end, you'll love this. If you're still not convinced, rent it first.




A black British comedy with really good performances
Review date: 2008-06-29 Rating: 8 out of 10

I loved this film, when I first heard about it I knew it would be one for me to see and it is.

This basically revolves around an underground train driver (Mackenzie Crook) who accidentally runs over 2 people with his train over the course of a week, he then finds out that if another person is killed within a month of the first death then he'll lose his job and be paid the equivalent of 10 years pay in one lump sum.

So starts the search for a third 'victim' as he actively begins looking for someone to volunteer their life so that he can claim his reward.

It's very much a black comedy and there were protests about this film by the train drivers union, but in the end it's a comedy it's not meant to be real life as such, nor to encourage or mock suicide.

Mackenzie Crook and Colm Meaney are both in fine form, with good support by Imelda Staunton.

Probably not for everyone, but if you don't take it too seriously and enjoy dark humour then you'll probably enjoy this.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Colm Meaney
Imelda Staunton
Mackenzie Crook

Creators:
Mackenzie Crook (Primary Contributor)
Colm Meaney (Primary Contributor)

Recording label: Contender Home Entertainment Group
Manufacturer: Contender Home Entertainment Group
EAN: 5030305512309
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2008-09-15
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 106 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2008
Language: English (Unknown)

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