Reel Thoughts: Three's Company

Like The Stranger in Us, The Four-Faced Liar (now available on DVD) is an intimate story with relatable characters played by unknown actors. The difference is that you’ll care about these characters, and therefore be interested in what happens to them. The title refers to a bar where two New York couples and the lesbian who connects them meet and make friends.

Hip Trip (Todd Kubrak) and Chloe (Liz Osborn) have a great relationship, although Trip is kind of an ass. One night, they meet small town newcomers Greg (Daniel Carlisle) and Molly (Emily Peck), while Trip’s roommate Bridget (screenwriter Marja Lewis Ryan) sets her sights on Molly. At first, she’s all about shocking the straight girl, but then the two bond unexpectedly. Romantic troubles ensue, with Greg the odd man out.

Director Jacob Chase keeps the pace realistic and the scenes between the women in love are handled nicely. Ryan’s Bridget isn’t the charismatic centerpiece she should be, but the film succeeds in spite of it. The Four-Faced Liar isn’t original, but it’s smart look at modern Gen Y relationships.

Review by Neil Cohen, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and Phoenix's Echo Magazine.