TWO GIRLS AND A GUY

US, 1998, 92 minutes, Colour.
Robert Downey Jr, Heather Graham, Natasha Gregson Wagner.
Directed by James Toback.

A three-hander, a psychodrama set in a fashionable New York City loft, lots of speeches about relationships (and more than a touch of directionlessness as the protagonists pace the floor as they speechify).

James Toback has written (Bugsy) and directed (Fingers, Exposed) some serious and sometimes grim movies. He said that he wrote this for Robert Downey Jr (who appeared in Toback's Escape Artist) after his time in jail for drug offences. He saw more vulnerability in him.

Basically, this is the encounter between two girlfriends of Downey who unexpectedly find out about each other and decide to confront him. He fails on all counts, self-absorbed, cad, liar with a flair for rationalising as well as for the dramatic (feigned suicide, soliloquies from Hamlet). But, he is also dependent on his mother. Heather Graham is the sophisticated Carla, who taunts him with his infidelity. Natasha Gregson Wagner (Natalie Wood's daughter) is the blunter Lou.

This is very much a mood piece, strong on dialogue and confrontation about relationships and sexuality, less on cinematic style and devices.

1. A story of contemporary relationships? Men and women in their twenties? Women’s perspectives? Men’s perspectives?
2. The work of James Toback? Writing and direction? Intense characters? Blend of serious and comic?
3. The film as a three-hander? Taking place in real time for most of the length of the film? The effect of audiences being taken into this conversation, confrontation? The film as confined to the apartment after the early street scene? Confinement, a touch of claustrophobia?
4. The introduction to the two women, standing outside the apartment, the New York street? The man coming up, dancing moves, flirting, tough with Louise? The bragging male? His girlfriend arriving, telling him off, taking him away, his being shorter than she was…?
5. Immediate response to the two women, Heather Graham as Carla? Taller, blonde, self-possessed, quiet? The contrast with Louise, Lou, Natasha Gregson Wagner, shorter, modern dress style, talkative? The small talk of first, establishing their characters, the interaction with the man on the street, discussions about the boyfriend, coming to meet him, his being away, the issue of his mother, describing the boyfriend, his name, his quotations, the same to each of them? The realisation?
6. The decision, the plan, Lou breaking the window, looking at the photos, the interchangeable photos? The opening the door, their both coming in? Assessing the room, the situation, what did happen to each of them?
7. The hiding, his arrival, Robert Downey Jr.? Brash personality, talking out loud, singing the religious song, the phone calls and leaving messages for Carla, for Lou, for his mother? His ringing his agent, discussions about jobs, the gig in the Catskills, his pretence of hesitation, accepting? Talking with his mother, worrying about her health?
8. Carla appearing, but being taken aback, his immediate talk to her, flirting, declarations of love? The audience sharing Carla reaction? His smooth talk, covering himself, specious arguments? Her silence, challenging him? The declarations of love, repeating words that he had spoken to Lou? Lou in hiding, listening?
9. Lou’s emerging, Blake taken aback, trying to cope? Double talk? Arguing himself into a position, loving both, and having to defend himself?
10. Lou’s reaction, harsher than that of Carla?
11. The tour-de-force of Robert Downey’s performance, verbal dexterity, moving in and out of defence, rationalisation? The feigned suicide and the blood in the bath? The Hamlet soliloquy? The reaction of the two women, tangling him in his defence?
12. Carla listening and evaluating the situation? Her attitude towards Blake? Her decision to talk about her own experiences?
13. The confessions, the demanding the truth from Blake about his affairs? Her own relationships? Lou, the suggestions of a ménage a trois a? Her own lesbian relationships and explanations? Blake’s reaction to this?
14. The phone calls to his mother, her health, to the doctor? The return calls? His mother’s death? His grief, Carla taking the call?
15. The pause in the film? Lou not returning? The effect of the funeral? Carla returning with Blake? Change, possibilities?
16. An overall view of relationships and issues, via cinematic conversation?