El tercero (2014) Drama, Romance | 70min | 28 June 2014 (USA) 6.0

Director: Rodrigo GuerreroWriter: Rodrigo GuerreroStars: Carlos Echevarría, Emiliano Dionisi, Nicolás ArmengolSummary: After meeting in a chat room, Fede (22) arrives at a downtown building to have an intimate encounter with a gay couple older than him. As the night unfolds, Fede has an intense and telling experience. The next morning finds him different, as if suddenly he had found a new possible way to love. Written by Outplay

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Source: imdb.com

This is a nice movie which sheds light on the life of a gay couple. I personally find the 20-minute dialogue between the three actors the highlight of the movie. It’s taken in two long shots, 10 minutes per shot. The conversation really provides a glimpse into the life of a gay couple. I particularly like how the conversation is so natural and spontaneous that it is like being taken from a genuine conversation. In terms of dialogue, I think it’s just as good as “Weekend” (2011), which has been praised for its natural and genuine dialogue between the two male leads.

The nervousness displayed by the male lead Fede is also praiseworthy. His visible nervousness adds layers of depth to the character and shows how nervous one can be before a hook-up.

However, I have to say there are several parts of the movie that I don’t really like. First, the 20-minute chat room scene is REALLY unnecessary. The conversation is SO ordinary that it adds nothing to the movie. If you haven’t watched the movie yet, I suggest you to skip that part because the movie works just fine with that scene. My other complaint is that the sex scene is almost awkward to watch. It’s difficult to endure a one-shot intimate scene in which you only get to see the actors’ face and chest. What’s the point? Either cut it short or let the audience sees everything! Well, probably not the latter, as the sex is poorly simulated. I wonder if any of the actors gets a hard-on during the scene – it’d be pretty embarrassing!

The summary of the movie says the male lead Fede “has changed after the night”, which I do not find to be the case. Not much growth is shown at the end of the movie, except that the audience catches him enjoying last night’s memories, as if he has learnt something from it.

The biggest problem of the movie is that it doesn’t really have a clear focus. It’s not focusing on a romantic relationship, or a person’s growth, or a really good sex. At the end of the movie, I don’t really know what the movie wants to represent. The 20-minute dialogue is the only part that I find meaningful and can provoke thoughts on the life of a gay couple. Besides that, I fail to see how the movie works. It’s still worth a watch, but only if you can endure a sex scene that’s almost too awkward to watch.