Genres

Visitors Review

postmanvendetta 2012-05-17 21:46:26

I really don't know what to think about this movie.

First of all it is not a comedy as the adverts would have you think.There are some elements of comedy but first and foremost this is mostdefinitely a drama and not one about tube drivers. It is a drama aboutthe right to aid suicide and there are some really touching moments inthis film, especially just before the ending. I wouldn't say the actingwas wonderful but despite it's cloudy script the actors give a solidperformance and despite being a bit of a dick, i really did feel forColm Meaneys character. I went into the this movie expecting to laugh,I didn't much, it depressed me, but whether that was the moviesintentions is beyond me. My advice rent it on DVD with an open mind youwill find some clear gold amongst the ambiguity.YNWA.

penguinhunter12 2012-05-17 11:47:13

Very hard to actually class the film in a genre

Although the producers have classed it as a comedy, I don't really findit can fit under just one genre. It wasn't a comedy of the sort like"American pie", "School of Rock" or "The Simpsons film" (just to namesome really famous ones) in which you get regular jokes, set charactersto make you laugh e.g. homer or jack black in that case, where youexpect to say or do stupid/funny things, it was more of a literal'film', perhaps like "Bridget Jone's diary", only whereas the samecomedy style mentioned above, featuring some elements of comedy and itsfew moments, but not an actual pure comedy like the 3 examples I gaveearlier.I would actually call it more one of those films like "there will beblood" or "thirteen" that really just make you think or reflect, filmsthat would be good to watch if you are interested in sociology. I mustadmit I find it hugely ironic that out of the many many films I've seenin my time that this, a classed "comedy" that is the only film otherthan "ghost" (I was very very young) that has ever managed to actuallymake me cry. The ending left me feeling very upset, as were literallyalmost the rest of the audience as they walked out the screen, you growan attachment to the characters.I was sceptical about seeing the film at first as the issue of theproposed comedy was suicide, but I think the directors didn't handle itcontroversially or distastefully overall. I also enjoyed how the filmmade me think about how everyone literally has such a past and a storyto tell.Overall I think the film was worth seeing, and would recommend it ifyou want something abit stronger or harder then the average film.Prehaps the producers were also unsure of how to really class this filminto a genre.

dannyb333 2012-05-16 10:05:33

funny movie, worth going to see

Very funny performances from main characters Mackenzie Crook and GemmaArterton, along with the rest of the supporting cast.The film is controversial as the plot focuses on a serious issue, butthe well written script means that 'Three and Out' is more of alighthearted comedy.The soundtrack - with its mix of Irish and Rock music is also wellsuited to the film, fitting with the lighthearted mood.The quality of camera work and photography is good, shot in Cumbria andLiverpool there is lots of superb scenery.Overall, this is a very funny movie well worth going to see!

techenterprise 2012-05-16 01:56:19

Loved it - great film

Everything about the film was pretty great parts of it were hilarious,the acting was good and at times brilliant, Colm Meaney in particular;even Kerry Katona who had a small cameo role in it didn't come acrosstoo badly! It dealt with the sensitive issues central to the film verywell, Im not sure why the train drivers made such a fuss about it; itreally doesn't dwell on any of the issues complained about at all. Muchto my surprise, the comedy was backed up by some really moving moments.Didn't expect to love this film but the mix of comedy and drama made ita really enjoyable hour and a half - definitely would suggest that yougo and see it.

titheridge-1 2012-05-06 20:20:37

This film should have a better average score!

What a great British movie, I'm so surprised and disappointed that 2people's low score have given this an average of a poultry 5.3!! Thisfilm is a 7 average (or more) if ever I saw one. I don't often commenton IMDb but this left me feeling like I had too. The film is enjoyable,insightful, full off feeling and comedy and would be enjoyed by anyonefrom the UK. I'm pleased to see Mackenzie Crook choosing to star insuch well produced independent movies and would recommend this toanyone. Please give this a chance and comment back to raise this pooraverage score to something more in line with what the film deserves. Anexcellent film with a great cast and original storyline, well done!

XTRADER 2012-05-06 00:06:52

Three and Out - Average but enjoyable

Three and Out (2008) As the overpaid and Naïve London Underground employee's picket thisfilm before they've seen it – complaining that it insults theiroccupation – I felt it would be fitting to go see this film to see whatthe fuss was all about. Paul Callow (Mackenzie Crook) has a bad coupleof weeks as a London Underground Tube Driver – (Spoiler – but notreally giving anything away here) – Paul hits and kills two Passengerswhile driving his Underground Train. Paul then hears from his mateycolleagues that there is a Three and Out Rule in place – if he killsthree people with his train within a month he will be retired and paid10 years salary – so judging by what the average tube driver earns thisprobably equates to over £500,000+ ($1m+). Hence, Paul sets about tofind a third victim – of course this is where the film really beginsand the journey for Paul moves from off the track to the streets ofLiverpool and the scenery of Cumbria, on this journey Paul may end upfinding more than just another victim but potentially finding himself. Now I always like to give British Films a chance and on firstimpressions this one isn't too bad for a light comedy – howevereverything about it strikes you while you watch it as "Average". Thejokes will make you smirk and maybe laugh occasionally but it's notside-splitting and it's certainly not original. From the word go – thefilm is predictable and nothing that special. Imelda Staunton and ColmMeaney are the strongest performers in this flick. The St Trinian whoonly left RADA last year (Gemma Artertan) is the eye candy in this film– but her performance is almost comparable to the cameo of the awfuland dire Kerry Katona. However the biggest gripe comes half way intothe movie when the Director thinks it would be a good idea toexperiment with Angles. Now camera angles rarely bother me – but inthis film while Mackenzie and Colm are shouting near a bunch of cowsthe director really should have re shot – shaky almost out of focus andbadly directed – however thankfully the rest of the movie isn't shot inthis way. An enjoyable film if you're not expecting anything, but it's certainlynot going to make waves over seas as this is no Full Monty or FourWeddings. It certainly doesn't merit the attention of the overpaidUnderground Unions; it simply doesn't insult the occupation of drivingUnderground Train so they really shouldn't bother picketing as thisfilm will be forgotten very quickly.

jhsteel 2012-04-28 19:33:07

Poignant drama

I saw this not knowing what to expect, and I'm glad that I didn'texpect loads of laughs. I suppose it is a dark comedy if anything, butit delivered something much more meaningful, and I was hooked inimmediately to the human drama that enfolded. I really wanted to knowwhat happened to the characters, all of whom seemed 3-dimensional, andI cared about their fates. The performances were excellent, especiallyColm Meaney as Tommy and Mackenzie Crook as Paul, but Imelda Stauntonwas wonderful as always. I wanted to see whether the characters wouldgo through with their intentions, because several outcomes seemedpossible, and the plot kept me guessing. The ending was emotional andin a strange way very satisfying, and not unrealistically optimisticeither. If you are going to deal with the subject of suicide, this is avery effective and thought-provoking film and succeeds on severallevels. It deserves a higher rating than it has so far.

Florence Gale 2012-04-28 06:22:32

Controversial i know...But i quite liked it

OK, so you have had the misfortune of the accidents, and we all knowthat ASLEF have taken grave offence to this. And, in it's rawest form,they MAY have a point...or do they? Haven't we all watched films thatportray dark things for the sake of comedy? OK, take Undertaker'sParadise (2000) for instance - the premise being that an undertakertakes to murdering a load of people to keep his business afloat,essentially for cash. Now, did the 'Undertaker's Union' get in a huffat being portrayed as salacious lovers of death? Perhaps not as i'm notsure they have a union, but my thinking is that they wouldn't have.After all, they realise it's just a film! I digress. OK, so the filmstarts off at a pretty fast pace with a quick set-up and launchesheadlong into what is essentially a moral cat-and-mouse extravaganza.But that's wherein the base of the films lies: morality and humanemotion.I, like some other reviewers and commentators was surprised by this asit would seem from the posters that it's about chasing the cash, so itwas a nice surprise that this as not the case.Mackenzie Crook delivers a good performance, and Gemma Arterton isadequately (and often nakedly) there for the guys, but Colm Meaney andImelda Staunton really provide the heart-warming depth to the wholefilm. The interaction and emotional heartstrings that are pulled, usingthe lead as a vehicle for the film, really works well I feel, and givesthe film some good depth, whilst the pace is kept up by the 'comedycapers' of awkward yet sweet Crook.I really do think that those who are offended by the premise shouldhave a peek because it's really quite a sweet film with some reallaugh-out-loud gags in there. One of which is Kerry Katona attemptingto act, though not sure if that's intentional.I'm giving it an 8 because it makes for a good 'date' movie, and isdeffo one for the girlies to enjoy...

John Dunton-Downer 2012-04-22 16:34:22

A little gem and a lotta Gemma

Maybe it really was a marketing muck-up to put this film forward as awacky comedy, but having expected that I was actually happier with themoving, provocative and poetic story I got instead. It's a lot morememorable and thus valuable. Colm Meaney and Imelda Staunton, just bylooking at each other, convey more about the pains and regrets thatlife generates than many a more 'serious' or arty film manages despiteloftier, often more pretentious ambitions. This is a film that actuallyacknowledges the human condition and then poses a rather crucial, ifusually ignored question about life, and even braves an answer to thatquestion too. How often does this happen? Probably more often inBritain than in Hollywood, so let's be grateful for this, shall we? In any case, claiming that it's a crass 'comedy about suicide' as somehave done is about as accurate as saying The Producers is a comedyabout the holocaust. And Tube Driver Union spokespeople: get a life.

2012-04-22 06:06:04

British movies getting better

After so many years of waiting for a worthy British comedy sinceBridget Jones' Diary, this fine piece of work came as a breath of freshair. After watching it half way i thought they could have done betterbut at the end of the movie everything made sense. Well its a Britishmovie and it is very British, it outlines dilemmas that are faced byday to day men as we all try to work smart and not hard(with less inreturn). It seems there has been a lot of controversy as most(tubetrade union) believe that the movie is insensitive towards tubeworkers. One wonders, but when did the British lose their sense ofhumour? this a comedy! I just believe it was an opportunity for some toget onto our screens. Everyone who has been to London knows that thetube is never reliable, but thats another subject. When titanic hit thescreens no one went to protest but I am sure far more people haveperished in the seas. The first good movie in a decade comes out andall these sharks are coming at it in full swing, please lets give thismovie some credit it deserves.

demonchessmaster 2012-04-17 08:42:16

Not so much funny as it is heart wrenching

Firstly, I have to say that the controversy surrounding this film istotally unfounded. I can see why many train drivers and other peoplewould object to a film about suicide (and trying to convince people tocommit suicide), but if they actually SAW this film, I think they'dagree that the subject matter is handled very well. It doesn't make ajoke about it and it's very heart wrenching as you delve deeper intoTommy's life as he tries to make up for the mistakes he made. In manyways, he see's suicide as a form of redemption to help his family. Andjust when you think it's going to have a happy ending--you'd besurprised! Overall, while I don't think it's the best British film tocome out in recent years, it's certainly not a bad film in general. Theacting is brilliant and the story (while a little far fetched) doesfollow nicely and makes the film easy to watch. If you watch thisexpecting a laugh out loud comedy, look elsewhere. But if you fancy aemotional, yet slightly depressing, storyline that will tug at yourheartstrings... go ahead and give it a go. Don't believe thecontroversy surrounding this film until you've seen it, it's worth alook.

churchofsunshine 2012-04-16 21:56:10

I don't see what the train drivers union were complaining about

Way back even before this film even premiered at the cinema, the mainLondon Underground tube drivers Union ASLEF were up in arms about thisfilm being insensitive and that people falling under trains and suicideis not something to be laughed about. I don't know what they thoughtthis film was about, or whether they had seen a completely differentfilm to me, but I would struggle to class this as a comedy at all. It'sa serious drama about a serious subject, and although, yes, there mightbe one or two chuckles here and there, this isn't an all-out comedy andnever pretends to be. It's a serious look at Colm Meaney's characterTommy, his relationship with his wife and daughter and how it came tobe that he is willing to throw himself in front of Mackenzie Crookstrain. There is actually very little of the movie set underground atall - it soon takes on a road movie type trip through Liverpool (with a(thankfully brief) cameo by Atomic Kitten's Kerry Katona) and then ontoCumbria and the Lake District, no doubt to try and encouragemovie-goers to holiday in the area.Colm Meaney is better than he ever was in Star Trek, Imelda Staunton isthere because after all this is a Brit flick and it says in hercontract somewhere that she must star in every new British film going,while relative newcomer Gemma Arterton (last seen in St Trinians)putson a Scouse accent for this role and does her rising career no harm atall - the new 007 film is up next, and the girl has a promising futurein front of her. Mackenzie Crook I'm not so sure about. I was never afan of "The Office" in the first place, but he seems to do well enoughhere - he and Meaney make a good team, it's just a shame that nearlyall the original publicity back in April 2008 was negative, focusingmainly on the objections of the ASLEF union to a film that they hadobviously not seen. Agreed, deaths under the wheels of trains aren'tfunny - I've researched my family tree and one distant relative did diethis way and the inquest report makes for grim reading - I've no doubtthat this is a very traumatic experience for any driver unlucky enoughto hit and kill someone and no laughing matter - but then this film isno laughing matter either. It deals with a sensitive subject mattervery well. I don't really see what all the fuss was about. I'd havethought the average IMDb score would be a lot better than it iscurrently. Ignore all the newspaper stories and judge for yourself. Ifany film deserves a second chance it is this one - surely a contenderfor the best British film of 2008.

tonym8051 2012-04-13 06:32:54

3 and More

Well, This so called "British Comedy" did actually turn out to be justit. Very unpredictable ending, which I love and amusing!! It has been awhile since we had a Brit/com out moreover a real plot that make senseand in context. I know that some expect too much from genre movies likethis however considering the petite area its based in and does payattention to main outputs of scenes. Mackenzie - Office - well suitedfor the role. Gemma - new bond girl - very hot lady in the accent sheputs on for this filmSoundtrack although not very known around I found it actually quitecatchy!! - going to purchase myself the soundtrack Cd this week-end.Great Brit Film! Worth watching - but not for the faint hearted.

no-skyline 2012-04-12 08:09:18

Down and Out - Wrongly marketed and very Disappointing

Three and Out has to go down as a serious misfire, having causedsomething of a controversy with it's subject matter (suicide on theLondon Tube) the film has achieved more publicity than it really has aright to. Having worked on the tube I was interested to see how theywould handle the issue and it has to be said they haven't handled itvery well. I found the actual scenes of the accidents quite distressingin what is supposed to be a 'comedy'. But the main insult I feel totube drivers is the the portrayed attitude of the protagonists friends,with one remarking "I had two under in two weeks once" as if itssomething that happens to tube drivers every week. The attitude of Tubedrivers is very different to that portrayed here and having one underis not a regular occurrence for them and not something they would wantto repeat.Having got past this rather unpleasant start to the movie you then getinto the main part of the film to discover that there's no realsubstance. The film doesn't know what it wants to be, yes there are oneor two funny moments but how you can market this as a comedy is anyonesguess. Colm Meaney and Imelda Staunton give OK performances but theirstuck with a script thats like something from a college project.Mackenzie Crooks character just comes across as a weird loser and itsdifficult to want any happiness for him as he doesn't appear to want tohelp himself, content to wallow in misery and dream about being aloneon a Scottish island. There's not enough character build up, the middleof the film meanders with little point to it and when the conclusionarrives it is again if the movie doesn't know what it wants to be aserious drama or a quirky comedy. I wont reveal the end but the finalmoments of the film feel tacked on and wrap up the issues the film issupposed to be raising with a resolution that is just far to neat andtidy (not to mention sugar coated).Maybe people will disagree with me but seeing this at a pre-screening Icouldn't help feel that this will be one of the worst movies of theyear 2/10

piverba 2012-04-09 06:43:40

Three but not Out – good effort that requires more thought

The Christian Idea of God's Grace, the forgiveness one attains throughrepentance, is an optimistic stanza one assumes toward life – theabsolution is always possible, no matter how great the offense.Assuming a hard working dope that's all his life tried to endure andprovide, to be fair and altruistic, to love and cherish his wife andchildren – this dope lives and dies without love and forgiveness,because there is nothing to forgive. Next day after expiration he isforgotten. This dope, like the air, nobody notices – it is always thereand is taken for granted because it is unconditionally given and alwaysavailable.Consider a catholic mobster, who kills, rapes and tortures, he appearsin a confession booth and in a minute is fully renewed and forgiven. Nomore sins and life starts anew. Same with the main character of thisfilm, perhaps not fully forgiven but remembered, for all these years ofbeing an egoist and a scumbag, his daughter still loves him, for allthese promises, that remained unfulfilled, she missed him all theseyears. He's not an air to her, familiar and always accessible, ratherunattainable dream, never fulfilled and always pregnant withpotentiality. And after the final loss (death) he will be rememberedand never forgotten as a mystery, never fully revealed. Apparentlythere is a golden median, were giving and appreciation go hand-in-hand,in a dynamic equilibrium – but how one finds this balance? Often,promises of eternal salvation that will follow ethical behavior obtainno evidence of the salvation while we are still alive."Three and Out" provides no answers to these eternal questions. Thetitle itself, reflecting narrative setup - "Run over three people inone month to obtain the ticket out of this mad house into a paradise" –does not really suggest good symbolism. Two accidental victims and,finally, last one, executed. Perhaps this is due punishment, withoutmercy, an execution that restores justice. "A deal is a deal" – anobligation before God and people in the game called Life, where one whonot giveth should not receiveth. No mercy. But then the ending, thedaughter of the executed with the executioner are now lovers.Positive: An attempt to address a human condition. The casting presentsordinary people.Negative: Trite plot – we already had seen films with very similarideas before and similar outcomes. Characters often are not believable.Paul and Frankie are very unlikely pair and their engagement feels veryforced and unreal. The film never achieves pathos that is required whenaddressing this kind of matters.Conclusion: The director was trying to make a film that means something– not just an entertainment. I do not feel he had fully succeeded.However, this is a serious effort, and should be treated with respect.

JoeytheBrit 2012-04-08 19:17:55

Enjoyable little film

Two strange things about this film that might be connected: first, itwas marketed as a comedy but is really a drama with a few mildly funnymoments, and second it has a surprisingly low rating on this site(especially considering the generally high rating given by those whohave chosen to support their rating with a comment). Perhaps the lowrating is a result of the mis-marketing by the film's publicitydepartment and, considering low-budget efforts like this often live ordie on the word-of-mouth generated by those prompted to watch the filmby its adverts, they might do well to remember this fact in future.The story concerns the efforts of Paul (Mackenzie Crook), a tube driverwho, having accidentally run over two people in a short space of time,attempts to entice a third person, would-be suicide Tommy Cassidy (ColmMeaney), into jumping under his train so that he can take advantage ofthe 'retirement' package of 10 years pay offered by his employers. Thefilm does initially start off as if it is going to be one of thosestultifying black comedies that believe the shock-value of itsstoryline precludes it from having to supply any comedy element but,once Paul has explained his plan to Tommy, it takes a different course,turning more into a sort of road movie and, although Crook enjoys morescreen time, expending more effort into getting under the skin ofTommy's character.Meaney is terrific as Tommy. Crook, maybe, isn't so great, meaning thatthe chemistry between their characters doesn't quite develop as well asit might otherwise have done. Crook's a little too strange looking toplay an everyman type, and there is no way that a girl like Frankie(Tommy's daughter, played by future Bond girl Gemma Arterton) wouldjump into the sack with a geeky looking guy like Paul after a couple ofbeers.The film doesn't really offer anything new, but it does offer a gentlyobservant treatise about not losing sight of what are the importantthings in life.

sonoftrev 2012-04-05 04:22:01

How did this get made?

Well first things first. As this movie is marketed as a comedy I wouldlike to point out all the biting and incisive wit within that us Britsare so famous for. Except I can't, because there isn't any! It showsthe depths to which studios have plumbed that they actually thoughtthis movie was a marketable commodity.Mackenize Crook sleepwalks his way through a banal and franklyinsulting script, as Paul Callow. A Dostoyevsky reading tube traindriver, with aspirations to be a writer, who has killed 2 passengers ina matter of weeks and needs just one more to receive a pay off andearly retirement. Oh the hilarity as he approaches an old man outside aretirement home and asks him to oblige. Our detestable andunsympathetic hero settles on Colm Meaney's Tommy Cassidy, a tramp witha terminal illness. I know my sides are splitting too! Frankly, that anactor as gifted as Meaney and the wonderful Imelda Staunton, who playsMeaney's wife, have to struggle with this rubbish is embarrassing.It gets worse. Any director that imagines giving the awful fat gob onlegs, Kerry Katona, a cameo in his film is going to lend some kind ofpopulist gloss to his trite ideas really should throw himself under thenext train to oblivion. Which is where first time director JohnathanGershfield is surely heading after this abomination. Oh, and don't getme started on future Bond girl Gemma Arterton, she is so wooden shemust vomit sawdust! Weak script, weak acting, appalling direction and worst of all anincredibly patronising attempt to tack a pointless feel good moment ofself discovery onto the loathsome main character at the end. He canwrite! He's cleaned his flat! I nearly puked! If you spend good moneyto watch this rubbish you probably will too. The most poignant momentof the whole film is when Mackenzie Crook looks out of the window ofhis flat, and on the sill is a copy of Joseph Heller's novel Catch 22.Now thats funny black comedy! This, excuse the pun, is a trainwreck ofa movie. Avoid.

Jamie Ward 2012-04-04 16:50:44

Hilarious and compelling character drama.

'Three and Out', a film largely based around a character wanting tokill himself, is in all its irony, genuinely heartfelt, compelling andutterly hilarious as both a dark comedy and a solid character drama.There is no denying that this is not going to be for everyone, as theentire experience could be just as depressing to some as it could beamusing to others, but that's what makes it so interesting andrefreshing. Furthermore, despite the film's grim premise I waspleasantly surprised that much of it is done in a tactful and tastefulmanner, taking time to develop plot and character substantially enoughto transform the otherwise quirky gimmick into a solid piece ofcharacter drama that never lets down. Sure enough this is by no means aperfect picture yet it certainly deserves a lot more praise than it hasso far garnered; especially considering the ballsy themes and jet blacktone which it adopts straight from the opening scenes.What makes the film as effective as it is lies heavily on its scriptwhich takes time to develop fully realised, empathetic and highlylikable characters, complete with three dimensions and who areconsistently engaging. There are nevertheless moments when the writingdoes resort to certain stereotypes, but such instances are only everused with good intentions and subtle shades, never truly distractingfrom the experience. The writers use their characters to successfullyjustify and back up the drama spliced throughout the piece, which whenattempted with less well rounded characters would feel tacked on andcheap. 'Three and Out' more often than not gets it spot on however,with only a couple moments here and there which take things a littletoo far into overdone melodrama. The best thing about having such characters though is that they too canpull off comedy when called upon, delivering many instances oftastefully done dark wit, derived mostly from the charactersthemselves. It's a hard thing to do no doubt, and although the balanceof comedy and drama can shift rather drastically, for the most partthey are blended together with great care, resulting in mostly flowingtransitions between the two. As mentioned, the comedy itself isextremely dark, specifically when involving the subject of suicide. Yetthanks to the very careful, precise direction from newcomer JonathanGershfield, such usages are both emotively effective in the ways whichyou would expect from the themes, but they also manage to retain asense of light-heartedness which can be rather disorientating from aneveryday perspective, yet this is largely where dark humour draws itsabsurdities from, and it works brilliantly here. The story is a bit of a double edged sword in that while certainelements are extremely interesting and move along with easilysustainable momentum, there are drops every now and again which don'twork quite as well and drag the pace of the film to a much moredisengaging level. Although things never quite get too slow, for toolong, these small imperfections become rather irritating in context ofthe otherwise high-quality writing. Nevertheless the majority of theplot is wonderfully low-key, occupying just a weekend but taking you ona journey full of hilarious situations, compelling characters andhomely locations (at least if you reside in the UK). It's a journeythat becomes far more than its simple plot however and seems endlessthanks to the people who occupy it. Perhaps most enjoyable of allthough is that it always feels familiar and genuine, with very littlefabrication or contrivance to be found.Performances from the cast are terrific and are certainly one of, ifnot the greatest highlight of the feature with both Crook and Meaneyconveying the tone of the film created through their charactersperfectly, never coming off as over or underdone. I was a big fan ofCrook's work in The Office, and was pleasantly surprised to find himplaying a role similar but also distinctly different. He's incrediblyemotive when he needs to be and brings a real down-to-earth- flavour tohis character that really helps solidify the mature, intelligent focusof the feature, filling the lead role competently. Meaney who I havegrown far more used to seeing in a Starfleet uniform and beingneglected to repeating such lines as 'Yes, of course captain' is muchbetter used here, given plenty of room to show his superb actingcapabilities. He nails the big-hearted but flawed Tommy Cassidybrilliantly, bringing charm and charisma to the duo. Both sharebrilliant interactions and the chemistry is high enough to meet thedemands for both the comedy and drama. The supporting cast hold theirown but never have much screen time enough to really show much worthmentioning, although Staunton does share some rather touching sceneswith Meaney that really brings out the best of her abilities, alongwith Meaney's softer side.In the end I found 'Three and Out' to be a highly moving, compellingand original piece of comedic drama. There are low points here andthere but thankfully they never distract or take too much away from theentire experience which is for the most part, well developed andrealistically entertaining. With terrific performances, down to earthcharacterisation that constantly feels familiar, and an entertaining,refreshingly dark plot, the film is certainly not without itshighlights. If ever there was a misunderstood film of this year, thiswould probably share the top spot with 'The Good Night'. Regardless,'Three and Out' is well worth your attention if you like your comedyblack and your drama relevant; a solid piece of British film-making.

delboy88 2012-04-03 02:34:28

Another great British Film

to say that this film is great is an understatement it is brilliant.never have i seen such a mix of comedy/ drama/ romance that goestogether so fantastically.the cast are excellent with Colm Meaney giving an award winningperformance , newcomer Gemma Arterton is fresh & very capable. if therewas a vehicle for Mackenzie Crook then this should be it. the audienceis able to feel Paul's anxiety and his need for pastures new.it is extremely difficult to think of a film that has ever done such agood job at tackling what is a controversial subject. it's main plus isthat the train driving is only ever a small part of the film and themajority of the running time is showing the journey Paul & Tommy go onand in the process we learn why Tommy is who he has become.

laughorlove 2012-04-02 09:37:55

Three & Out, down & out!

Let's get one thing clear first; the much-publicised hype regarding thesubject matter of this movie did not influence me in any way. Yes, afilm about such violent, but everyday, death will have it's critics,but they won't bother to see it anyway. One look at the casting credits& you'd imagine you'd be on to a sure-fire winner; alas, the adage"never judge a book..." is so true here. The clumsy camera work, shoddyediting & uninspired locations, combined with a lack-lustre script,make this feel as if it's a college project gone horribly wrong. Allstories have a beginning, middle & end. The story here hurried thebeginning & rushed it's end in order, no doubt, to explore the meat ofthe middle. Unfortunately, I felt the middle decidedly lacking in anytexture. Mackenzie Crook looked ill at ease throughout, showing nobalance of emotion & Sir Anthony Sher was superfluous to the "plot". Itfell to Colm Meaney & Imelda Staunton to provide the only charactersworthy of my time, but they too, surely, must've been putting faithinto the guys at the cutting room to turn their clichéd lines intosomething worth seeing. I'm afraid, they were let down badly.