Three in a Bed (2014)
Something that will always cause drama – not locking your doors. Because people always walk in at inopportune moments…
Synopsis: Nate is a struggling musician who has a case of writers’ block and an identity crisis. He meets his neighbor, Jonny, who stirs up feelings that Nate now has to figure out. In the meantime, Nate has taken care of his sisters since his mother died. But they are needy and bothersome at a time when Nate needs to figure things out for himself.
Nate seems like a guy who is constantly taking care of others. He takes care of his sisters out of a feeling of obligation left when his mother passed away. As his needy, immature, and generally self-absorbed sisters get into troubles (cheated on, pregnant by married man) he takes them in to live with him. There are a few problems though. These sisters are old enough to take care of themselves and should be. This is also a time when Nate needs time to himself. (Can you tell I’m not a fan of the sisters?)
This is when Nate meets his downstairs neighbor Jonny. The two start hanging out, and Jonny is immediately smitten with Nate. But Nate still thinks he’s straight, or just really doesn’t know what he is exactly. But he knows he likes Jonny back. Instead of being able to see where this leads or to figure things out, every moment is interrupted. Every moment…
Nate and Jonny’s first kiss – interrupted by sister Jay. Nate and Jonny’s first make out – interrupted by Jonny’s flatmate Andy. Nate and Jonny’s night out – interrupted by old fling Debbie. Nate and Jonny having an intimate conversation – interrupted by sister Sammy. Another important conversation interrupted by a customer at Nate’s work. Nate and Jonny talking about Jonny moving away – interrupted by sister Jay. Nate and Jonny potentially making up – interrupted by sister Sam about to have a baby.
Aside from the interruptions, the film has some interesting moments. I liked the scene where Nate and Jonny are discussing whether or not Nate is actually gay. Nate says, “I’m just Nate.” This is an important and more recent theme that we’ve been seeing where more LGBT people seem less want to be labeled or put in a box. At that moment, Nate just knows that he loves Jonny but not how that defines him.
There is also some comic relief spread throughout. There is a funny scene where someone apparently doesn’t quite get how to use a pregnancy test, and she ends up “shoving it up her flower.”
I think the film is appropriately named. Three in a Bed is about too many people being involved when there should only be two. (or sometimes one). This works on multiple levels. First is that Nate and Jonny should have the time to figure out their relationship on their own. Then there is Nate’s internal struggle that unfortunately involves his sisters because he is worried what they will think. And the issue of feeling obligated to take care of people that should be taking care of themselves means there are too many in the bed as well.
All this makes me wonder a little about the last scene in the film. Of course I don’t want to give it away. But the main point is the struggle between taking care of those around you and making sure you take care of yourself. It’s a fine line that we sometimes walk, and when you find a good place where there is balance… well, that’s a good thing.
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