Dominic Purcell stars as Lewis "Lew" Brookbank, a man with a troubled past who discovers that his wife and her lover have been murdered. Fearing he'll become the prime suspect, Lew abandons his old life and attempts to disappear. Unfortunately, keeping a low profile becomes difficult when he overhears Ralph Hagen, played by Desmond Harrington, and his girlfriend Isobel, played by Ali Larter, planning to kidnap and murder Ralph's wealthy wife, Florence.
Rather than do the sensible thing and contact the police, Lew sees an opportunity to make some money. He decides to interfere with the kidnapping and blackmail the conspirators for a share of the ransom. Naturally, his brilliant scheme becomes increasingly complicated as more people get involved and everyone's loyalties become questionable. <Cite refs={["turn964223search1","turn964223search12"]}/>
A Cast That Makes the Sleaze Worthwhile
The biggest selling point is the cast. Gina Gershon brings plenty of presence to Florence, while Ali Larter makes Isobel an intriguing mixture of charm and calculation. Joy Bryant provides a welcome counterbalance as Rita, Lew's girlfriend, and Dwight Yoakam adds an entertainingly unsettling presence as Herbert, a man with his own reasons for pursuing Lew.
Purcell has the right look for a noir protagonist: brooding, slightly rough around the edges, and perpetually one bad decision away from disaster. The trouble is that Lew's elaborate plan requires a level of confidence that his actual circumstances don't justify. Watching him attempt to manipulate people who are already busy manipulating each other is like watching someone juggle chainsaws while standing on a moving treadmill.
Final Verdict
3-Way is a perfectly watchable slice of early-2000s neo-noir, packed with adulterous relationships, criminal schemes, suspicious characters, and enough double-crossing to keep a conspiracy theorist occupied for a week. Based on Gil Brewer's pulp novel Wild to Possess, the movie has the ingredients for a terrific little crime thriller, even if its plotting occasionally becomes more tangled than compelling. <Cite refs={["turn964223search3","turn964223search8"]}/>
The atmosphere is suitably grimy, the cast is appealing, and the story delivers enough twists to make the journey worthwhile. It isn't a classic, and some developments require a generous suspension of disbelief, but fans of low-budget crime thrillers should find plenty to enjoy.
Rather than do the sensible thing and contact the police, Lew sees an opportunity to make some money. He decides to interfere with the kidnapping and blackmail the conspirators for a share of the ransom. Naturally, his brilliant scheme becomes increasingly complicated as more people get involved and everyone's loyalties become questionable. <Cite refs={["turn964223search1","turn964223search12"]}/>
A Cast That Makes the Sleaze Worthwhile
The biggest selling point is the cast. Gina Gershon brings plenty of presence to Florence, while Ali Larter makes Isobel an intriguing mixture of charm and calculation. Joy Bryant provides a welcome counterbalance as Rita, Lew's girlfriend, and Dwight Yoakam adds an entertainingly unsettling presence as Herbert, a man with his own reasons for pursuing Lew.
Purcell has the right look for a noir protagonist: brooding, slightly rough around the edges, and perpetually one bad decision away from disaster. The trouble is that Lew's elaborate plan requires a level of confidence that his actual circumstances don't justify. Watching him attempt to manipulate people who are already busy manipulating each other is like watching someone juggle chainsaws while standing on a moving treadmill.
Final Verdict
3-Way is a perfectly watchable slice of early-2000s neo-noir, packed with adulterous relationships, criminal schemes, suspicious characters, and enough double-crossing to keep a conspiracy theorist occupied for a week. Based on Gil Brewer's pulp novel Wild to Possess, the movie has the ingredients for a terrific little crime thriller, even if its plotting occasionally becomes more tangled than compelling. <Cite refs={["turn964223search3","turn964223search8"]}/>
The atmosphere is suitably grimy, the cast is appealing, and the story delivers enough twists to make the journey worthwhile. It isn't a classic, and some developments require a generous suspension of disbelief, but fans of low-budget crime thrillers should find plenty to enjoy.
Review posted
October 23, 2026