Two Girls and a Guy
In this darkly comic tale of love and infidelity, Carla (Heather Graham) and Lou (Natasha Gregson Wagner) are both waiting outside an brownstone in Soho and happen to strike up a conversation. It seems both of them are waiting to meet their respective boyfriends, and as they discuss the bright, funny, romantic and monogamous men they've been lucky enough to become involved with, they make a surprising discovery -- they're both waiting for the same man, Blake (Robert Downey Jr.), an actor, musician and compulsive womanizer. As they compare notes on the man they've been unknowingly sharing and what they should do about the situation, Blake arrives and quickly starts trying to talk his way out of the disastrous situation. Writer and director James Toback claims he was inspired to write this project for Robert Downey Jr. after seeing a news report showing him in jail after violating parole regarding an arrest for drugs; Two Girls and a Guy was written in four days and shot in eleven days on a single set, and features excellent performances from Downey, Heather Graham, and Natasha Gregson Wagner. more..
Director: James Toback
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Heather Graham, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Angel David, Frederique Van Der Wal
The beauty of Two Girls and a Guy is that it presents us with a hero so craven, so indefensible in his duplicity, that his twin victims leapfrog past vengeance into an almost physical state of curiosity.
You'll likely come away from this astonishing encounter between the three corners of a lovers' triangle not just amused but enlightened about such not-so-simple issues as fidelity, betrayal, lust, possessiveness, honesty and forgiveness.
Cerebral, frenetic and funny, this chamber piece from filmmaker James Toback provides a timely if inconclusive comment on monogamy.
The movie is essentially a filmed stage play, one of those idea-plays like Shaw liked to write, in which men and women ponder their differences and complexities.
Object to the picture on ideological grounds, if you like, but that's no way to watch movies. Better to appreciate the rare spectacle of a filmmaker leading from his gut.
No awards
No lists