The Threesome review – sexy romcom deals with unexpected complications of a throupling

When a drunken threesome leads to a pregnancy or two – really, who’s counting? – navigating the emotional and practical fallout proves understandably challenging for Connor (Jonah Hauer-King), Olivia (Zoey Deutch) and Jenny (Ruby Cruz) in this supremely agreeable romcom. While the premise may sound on paper like the setup for a loud, crude 00s comedy, this is a much more finely tuned piece of work than that, with engaging characters and an impeccably calibrated plot full of plausible twists and turns that are wild yet still realistic, and feel earned because the characters respond like actual humans to their situation.

It’s true that the spiky rat-a-tat dialogue, reminiscent of both 90s sitcoms and 30s and 40s screwball comedy, isn’t quite how people talk in the real world, but it’s highly enjoyable when delivered by a good-looking and charismatic cast, among whom the standout is Deutch, who peels back the layers of a tough-cookie character to show the vulnerable human underneath. It helps that she’s bouncing off the super-smitten vibes put out by Hauer-King, who is all dimples and doe eyes in a way that is refreshing to see in a male lead.

It’s also true to say that Cruz has the toughest role: she plays a more traditionally nurturing character, the emotional through-line really belongs to her co-stars, and her character’s story arc has less of the livewire unpredictability of Deutch’s. But Cruz invests the role with a kind of low-key tenaciousness and dignity that helps you root for her too, making this that rare romcom in which you want everything to turn out well for everyone. Well, apart from Josh Segarra, perfect in a small role as a married schmuck who dissolves into self-pitying tears when required to deal with the consequences of his actions.

This is an all too rare romcom that delivers on every level. If you’re looking for well-drawn characters caught up in an outlandish situation that generates plenty of laughter and sentiment, look no further. Oh, and it’s sexy too. What more could you want?

• The Threesome is on Prime from 4 October.