Sam Cagnina and Steven Margolin first met when they were classmates in college; the two were studying similar fields (Sam was interested in massage therapy while Steven wanted to become a chiropractor), and as their fascination with one another grew, they discovered they were both bisexual. Sam and Steve developed a committed relationship that grew over several years, and in time the two decided they wanted to add a woman to their romantic partnership. After a number of failed attempts to add a
third side to the romance, Samantha Singh, whom Sam had met through work, joined them, and seemingly all was well. The threesome became happy parents of two children, Sam and Steven open a successful health spa, and it seemed as if the unconventional family had everything they wanted professionally, romantically, and economically. However, not everything was as cheery as it seemed on the surface, and when one of the three partners abruptly walked out, it led to an unpleasant break up and a hard-fought legal battle over the custody of the children. Filmmaker Susan Kaplan, who had known Steven since high school, spent years following the three-sided relationship though both good and bad times, and Three of Hearts: A Postmodern Family documents the rise and fall of their lives together. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
The documentary fascinates not only because of its subject matter but because the three people -- whose backgrounds are individually developed -- are so likable, and because Kaplan began filming their relationship in the midst of its best times.
Susan Kaplan's (Small Wonders) first feature as director is tightly told, with a production sheen that's above-average for fly-on-the-wall documentary.
Documentary as mesmerizing reality show and juicy soap opera combined with enough relevance, skillful storytelling, polish and compelling subjects to make it big-screen-worthy.
Ends up uncovering some poignant truths about the nature of love, the pressures of commitment and the limits to the compromises we are willing to make for the people we care about.
The three participants are so banal, their childlike motives so transparently egotistical -- it's not inconceivable that they got together because their first names all begin with s -- you want to shake them.
"The Dying Gaul" takes place in 1995. Struggling writer Robert Sandrich(Peter Sarsgaard) has written a script called "The Dying Gaul" which was inspired by his lover Malcolm who had died that year of AIDS. The studio is willing to buy the script for a million dollars but there is a problem. As the studio executive,
Jeffrey(Campbell Scott) puts it - the American viewing public does not want to see a movie about gay men, so could he change the character dying of AIDS to a woman? Robert stalks off at first but then realizes there are more than a couple of things he can do with a million dollars like put his son through college. Jeffrey introduces Robert to his wife, Elaine(Patricia Clarkson), who used to be a screenwriter herself. At which point, Jeffrey becomes attracted to Robert. Complications ensue..."The Dying Gaul" is at its best when it is a condemnation of Hollywood's refusing to make any movies about gay men and lesbians("Brokeback Mountain" does come out next month.). When it makes a hard turn away from the political to the personal and even the new age, the movie weakens towards a very problematic ending. Peter Sarsgaard and Patricia Clarkson, being two of the best actors around, make this movie better than it should have been."Three of Hearts" is a documentary about a rather unique relationship and family. The relationship consists of two men and a woman who are all in love with each other - Sam & Steven & Samantha. Sam and Steven were in love first before they decided to add a woman to the mix. At the beginning of the movie, Samantha has just become pregnant for the first time.(And she will also give birth to a second child.) I was surprised to see they all work together at the same wellness center.The moral of the documentary is that we spend too much time self-analyzing. Also, we rely too much on labels to define ourselves.
November 13, 2005
Walter M.
Super Reviewer
7.5/10 Fascinating documentary and study of an unusual relationship, at times the characters are irritating, but you have to admire them for trying something different. You develop a caring relationship for the trio. It most definitely had me interested in the outcome.
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