The Trio

Rating:
Summary: A terrific flick . . . whatever your sexual preference!
Review: After an opening that's somewhat of a downer, a father and daughter begin their lives anew, as crooks. When they come upon a sexy drifter who assists them, both father and daughter are attracted to him and vice/versa. A turning point in the film occurs when the daughter finds her lover in bed with her father and the family unit is shattered. How each character reacts to the dilemma and what eventually happens to them all is tremendously inspiring. It encourages the viewer to acknowledge his/her own priorities and also observes the power and value of compromise.

Rating:
Summary: Not very likeable or fun
Review: I felt more sympathetic toward the hookers and sex workers in Km.0 and the porn folks in Fluffer than I did with these sad, scheming, nasty theives.

They basically drive their uncapable third partner to suicide by being really hateful to him (even though the father "loves" him.)

The only decent character is the young man they recruit to replace the ailing man, who, turns out, has a thing both for women and men. In this case, father and daughter. It could be interesting, but it's lost here among the artificial-feeling grittiness and endless series of theft attempts, which pass for story.

Bascially, I didn't relate to or care much about the characters, who didn't have much redeeming value, and who didn't learn anything during the movie. And they are all really bad to each other.

There are lots better choices than this.

Rating:
Summary: artistporn
Review: i like to watch this film because, it is a good film, especialy for adult

Rating:
Summary: A must have for your gay dvd collection!
Review: If this were remade as an American flick I'm sure it would get wide appeal. The cast is charming and the whole movie is touching and heartwarmning witha feel good ending. It's a nice change to see some older gentleman in love. Fun, clever and charming. A must have for your gay dvd collection!

Rating:
Summary: Original
Review: It is difficult to write an exciting review of this film without giving out the twists in the film, but I will say this is definitely a great film. As you already know from the plot description the three characters are romantically entangled, but the way the actors portray their emotions are definitely complex and not what the audience would expect. I disagree with an earlier reviewer about turning this into an American film. An American version will likely have a happier outcome for all four characters and place a greater emphasis on the heterosexual romance. Check out this film and take notice of who seems to be in love with who. An incredibly well directed film with complex characters whose depth is portrayed in the acting more than the actual script! Ahh, love can be so complicated...

Rating:
Summary: Original
Review: It is difficult to write an exciting review of this film without giving out the twists in the film, but I will say this is definitely a great film. As you already know from the plot description the three characters are romantically entangled, but the way the actors portray their emotions are definitely complex and not what the audience would expect. I disagree with an earlier reviewer about turning this into an American film. An American version will likely have a happier outcome for all four characters and place a greater emphasis on the heterosexual romance. Check out this film and take notice of who seems to be in love with who. An incredibly well directed film with complex characters whose depth is portrayed in the acting more than the actual script! Ahh, love can be so complicated...

Rating:
Summary: A must have for your gay dvd collection!
Review: This German film directed by Hermine Huntgeburth is like a comic spin on The Grifters but with an added sexual component. When one of the 3 petty criminals who wallet snatch using the blind man ploy is injured in a chase, a replacement is chosen from someone who had tried to steal from them and had failed. His punishment was to be stripped by the two gay male members of the team, which prefigures the sexual triangle that eventuates when both the father and his daughter are attracted to the new member. We know that when we are told the group's rule is no exchange of body fluids that it is said to be broken. Huntgeburth gets comic mileage out of who is the the aggressor in each relationship and the stolen moments of intimacy they have in fear of being discovered by the third party. The most refreshing touch is how the father (Gotz George) is established as being mean to his gay partner, yet he becomes foolish when faced with the attentions of a younger man, as if he cannot believe it possible, and the Shakespearian appearance of George emphasises him as a classically defined pathetic figure. George actually resembles a brunette and heavy-set Ralph Fiennes. The daughter probably has the least interesting role, but Felix Eitner as the boy demonstrates the bisexual trend of modern sexuality, the free sexual preference of European men, and the question of sex as duplicitious behaviour. When Eitner's pet snake is disposed of cruelly, Huntgeburth sets up an expectation for his own fate, with the snake as metaphor. The accordian music of Niki Reiser sets the tone with it's melancholy and suggestion of exotic mischief, and thankfully Huntgeburth's treatment lacks the concluding cruelty of the Stephen Frears title.

Rating:
Summary: Diverting, ingratiating European gay comedy worth seeing
Review: What ever happened to the meaning of those steadfast mottos `there's honor among thieves' and `blood is thicker than water?" `Das Trio,' an ingratiating German-made comedy (with sub-titles) taunts and tests these age-old theories to ostensible effect. It's a deceptively simple, amusing, if less than gut-busting tale of a rootless family of pickpockets who invite turmoil into their lot as a clash of very disparate libidos begins to chip away at the fabric of their operation. Buoyed by expert performances, it'll keep a smile on your face at the very least.

Zobel is the middle-aged, hands-on leader of this tiny trio of merrie men who steal from the rich and give to themselves. The two other cohorts are his feisty, independent daughter, Lizzi (from an incidental heterosexual liaison), and his aging, subservient, doleful lover, Karl, who conceals his advancing age with a toupee and prances about in women's gowns as an inducement to foreplay. Somehow managing an existence all these years, their mode of operation is hardly original. I mean, the blind man with the cane routine? Come on. How they survived this long, I'll never know. As the despondent Karl grows more insecure, dissatisfied and absent-minded, the possibility of a new partner is bandied about by father and daughter.

An unfortunate accident leaves Zobel and Lizzi no choice but to prevail upon the raw talents of a young Artful Dodger wannabe, an outcast who takes in snakes as pets and writes crappy poems. It just so happens Rudolf is also a very sexy, shambling young upstart who is only too willing to gratify the father/daughter team in whatever ways it takes to become part of the scheme team. Complications arise, dissension grows, and most of the film's intended humor comes about as the teacher becomes enamored by his new thief-in-training, even though the boy has already taken to bedding down the daughter.

Götz George as Zobel plays the roguish, Fagin-like ringleader with customary flair. One of Germany's most popular actors, the virile actor gets to play an aging and openly robust gay character here, yet loses little of his own characteristic machismo. Slightly softening his edges while infusing him with a gentle charm and a wanton sex drive that just so happens to be aimed at men, George provides a strong, believable center for the film.

Jeanette Hain gives daughter Lizzi a taut, highly appealing Winona Ryder-like quirkiness, and boyishly handsome Felix Eitner as the new third party fits the enigmatic pretty-boy part to a tee. His Rudolf is awkward and ambitious, with a dumb-kind-of-smart off-centeredness that sustains your interest. Christian Redl as Zobel's long-suffering lover and sycophant nets a great deal of empathy from the viewers as the man desperately tries to come to terms with his decline in importance.

Director Hermine Huntgeburth succeeds in comfortably sidestepping the negative, unappetizing aspects of her characters. After all, why should we care about, much less enjoy, the antics of four lowly parasites of society, robbed even of a conscience when it comes to each other? Even more problematic is the fact that we are not always clued in as to the intent or purpose of some of their hurtful, purely narcissistic actions, leaving the viewer somewhat cold and in a quandary as to who or what to root for. Credit the director and actors for nearly overcoming that big obstacle.

By the way, don't let the soft-core, erotic-looking box cover picture with two hands (one female, one male) groping a well-built young man's posterior clad only in tight underpants mislead you. It's an obvious and unworthy ruse to accelerate rental sales. This is NOT a titillation picture despite the fact there are a number of homosexual and heterosexual clinches throughout. Behind it, there is actually an intelligent plot abetted by four supremely professional actors who make it all worthwhile. And it's all capped off by a fun, wry twist at the end.

As a renter, "Das Trio" is a real steal!

Rating:
Summary: A charming, unconventional comedy
Review: You probably won't see a film made in the U.S. in which a father and daughter are vying for the affections of the same man! This German film begins with the motley group of Zobel (played by handsome Gotz George, one of Germanys' most popular actors), his lover Karl (Christian Redi) and Zobel's daughter, Lizzie (Jeanette Hain) making their living by practicing petty crimes like picking pockets and con schemes. When Karl is hit by a car during an ill-fated scheme, Zobel and Lizzie search for a replacement. Rudolf, a cute 25-year-old gas station attendant fits the bill. But complications arise when both Lizzie and Zobel fall in love with Rudolf. Rudolf returns affections to both of his admirers, which of course soon results in numerous conflicts. This gritty comedy is infused with charm and pathos (both Zobel and Lizzie are lonely characters seeking a ray of happiness in their dreary lives). The film suffers from a weak ending that is not entirely satisfying but the film is one that is definitely recommended!