WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Oh what dreams may come. There is an inherent beauty in the power of belief. The notions that drive us forward to gain that which we strive for with everything we have, mustering the strength, both physical and mental, to see one chance manifest into destiny. Yet, even upon seeing said aspirations arrive, the question then remains–at what price does newfound success come when real life rears its head, with friendship and love on the line? In the glory of NYC, three friends–Chole (Stacey Maltin), Maggie (Margarita Zhitnikova), and Gus (Jay DeYonker)–find themselves first on the cusp of, then in the heart of, success thanks to a new stage production they’ve nurtured and toiled for. But, even with triumphs coming about, they all encounter the conflicting trials of their own lives and desires. Soon, the journey becomes one of reawakening, revelation, and hard reality checks, with how it all turns out in danger of fracturing their power of three.
Next, my Mind:
Consistently encompassing a full range of emotionally-charged, wholly accessible, definitively entertaining, intelligently written, well-directed elements that called to mind the moods and tones of efforts ranging from “Fame” to “Rent”, this 99-minute indie feature film from prolific writer/director/producer/editor Stacey Maltin, writer Jay DeYonker, and producers Carrie Radigan, Jackie Schwartz, Martha Frances Williams, and Margarita Zhitnikova brings to vibrant life the victories, defeats, and everything in between that are associated with actors trying to make it big in the relentless core of The Big Apple. Screened as part of the 2021 Art of Brooklyn Film Festival, where the film gained the award for “Outstanding Ensemble” (WELL-deserved, mind you), the effort’s beautiful combination of dramatic flare, musical sequences, and at times playfully comedic sense delivers an affecting narrative about the always relevant themes of friendship’s bonds, love’s stormy seas, hard work’s payoff, the dangers of success, and the power of reconciliation.
Focused on three friends finding the path to stardom while also facing the actualities of growing up and the accompanying change in grander priorities that rise up amongst them while in the midst of newfound affluence and growing potential still to be plumbed, I simply adore the straightforward means by which the project presents their story. Not trying to be overly melodramatic or even “preachy” in the thematic explorations it delves into, the film’s pace is as fluid as it is lucid, maintaining a feel of building, underlying tension between the lead characters that is necessary to tell their tale while also showing a willingness to expand on how it affects not only them, but everyone around them in some form. That’s what I felt was the true facet of believability that is carried out here, as everything isn’t all just “wine and roses”, but rather filled with the pitfalls, temptations, altered mindsets, and misunderstandings that can arise from the foundational human interactions and situations we witness.
It’s what makes us as the viewer actually invest in and feel for the characters, at least that’s what it did for this critic. We’ve all had to confront (generally) similar overall circumstances at one time or the other, and even if here the ultimate outcomes of events may seem somewhat predictable on a certain level, it doesn’t matter, because it’s embracing the plights of these characters and finding a relatability to our own paths that makes it worth staying with and paying attention to. While there was one particular scene of sexuality that was just a hair more graphic than I personally prefer to see, what I likewise must admire about the film is that it isn’t unnecessarily (in my opinion, of course) flaunting its LGBTQ aspects as if to be trying to make distinct statement about that subject and lifestyle. Rather, it effectively and with very tangible resonance blends those dimensions into the greater whole so as to be able to appreciate the relationships being portrayed on a totally relatable plane that anyone can absorb and understand. I honestly treasure that artistic approach.
Maltin steps once more from behind the camera and into the front line, doing so with her usual infusion of exuberance, impactful smile, and bubbly fervor tempered with grounded intensity through her role as Chole, a young actress whose endless labors to see a dream come to reality has now occurred. Finding the shared joy of its successes with two best friends involved with the production, it all seems like a fairy tale. But, as the tribulations and unanticipated obstacles slowly begin to arise, Chloe is forced to reassess everything that’s happening and decide whether her own personal future and vision for it will or will not align with her friend’s. While it then becomes a more and more evident road she might take, we still glean that the war within her own mind about the choices she’s making is evident when it comes to Gus and Maggie much less others in her circle of influence, and watching Maltin so wonderfully guide the character through this roller-coaster of emotions is a joy to take it and a credit to her acting abilities.
Zhitnikova likewise brings to the table a very concrete and substantial aura of not just fiery energy and impassioned vigor but also of quietly simmering, purposefully understated vulnerability through her performance as Maggie, Chloe’s best friend and one of the primary architects of the musical production that’s now brought them notoriety. Riding the high like Chloe and Gus, Maggie makes a decision during it all that shakes the status quo and begins to cause possible divisions among them in differing ways. Yet, Maggie stands firm and as events progress, becomes more and more immersed in two separate worlds of responsibility that will cause her to both grow and be challenged to find much needed balance. It’s a wonderfully nuanced character to present, and Zhitnikova does so with a grace and poise that, like Maltin, showcases her acting prowess to great effect for this film.
DeYonker rounds out the central characters we witness in the film, bringing about a performance that is an exercise in constantly fluctuating extremes in many respects via his role as Gus, a happy-go-lucky actor who becomes involved with Chole and then the production in a bigger way than he would have expected. Enjoying the rise to recognizability with the others, Gus however comes to a decision about another area of his life and the future he wants that suddenly brings an entirely different perspective and altered scope of involvement in the trio’s journey to the forefront, which doesn’t all go the way he might hope. Standing by his choice, all seems well until another piece of news upends him and whether he can accept it while maintaining connection with the others comes into question. He’s a voice of reason and encourager of becoming more of an adult, which impacts the others in multiple ways. DeYonker deftly and with true sincerity negotiates all this with blatant bravado paired with subdued and believable sentiment.
This film won the award it did for VERY good reason, as the ensemble cast is just stellar and they ALL legitimately, wholeheartedly each befit their character to a “T”. Primary supporting turns are made by Catherine Curtin and Neal Lerner as top notch producers looking to take the trio’s show to new heights, Aury Krebs as Chiara, Maggie’s beau who has her fair share of initial issues with the direction certain things are going, Aramie Payton as Griffin, an actor on the rise whose part to play in events is ever-shifting based on initial choices he makes, along with Gina Naomi Baez, Megan Kane, Caleb Schaaf, Steven Rada, Nancy Cantine, and Yurel Echezarreta as members of the productions success and cast. Additional supporting appearances are made by Mark St. Cyr, Aileen Kyoko, Michael Varamogiannis, Mischa Ipp, and Preeti Gupta amongst many others. Please again know this critic appreciated all your performances and you deserve a huge “BRAVO!!” for your work and congratulations on an AoBFF 2021 award well-earned.
So, in total, “Triple Threat” takes the best of contemporary movie musicals and their current run of successes and brings it all down to a more grass roots feel without losing the intended and necessary style, dramatic flair, and creative sparkle that makes the genre so appealing. The lessons about life that can be taken from this also show forth with what this critic would hope is a redolent echo that stays with you after watching while still having felt totally entertained along the way. Let’s just burn brightly, love loudly, forgive frequently, and be absolutely unapologetically bizarre. What?? Watch the film, folks, watch the film.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
