4th Man Out

I love gay people!

I am not gay myself, but my sister is, so thanks to her i have opened my eyes into a different world. In this world, people are dancing, hugging, and you can dress anyway you want. Also, no one will judge you, they might just joke, but in a good way. Gay people get the day started in a great way, and we need more of this in ordinary day life. We are supposed to feel happy about life, and not worry about tomorrow. I have danced in gay clubs, dressed in a prom dress and been grabbed on my ass by a guy, so this definitely makes me ready to be Kommunfullmäktige. Unfortunately, some people see homosexuals as a sin, so i try to spread some love to these people instead. We should not see gay people as something wrong, they actually make this world a better place. When it comes to films, that take on different stories of gay people, we have some really good ones out there. One of my personal favourite films a british comedy called Pride. Based on a true story, about a lesbian and gay activist group, who raised money to families who were affected by The Miner´s Strike in 1984. This film is both very funny, sad and you also learn that we are not so different from each other, no matter if we are gay or straight. I highly recommend you buy this film, and even give it as a gift to a family member. Another film i think we should mention, that is very different from Pride, is the swedish action comedy musical film Dyke Hard. One of the funniest swedish ever made in swedish film history. It is so crazy, about a metal lesbian band, who tries to make a career, and we also get ninjas, gay prison guards, psychopaths, all the right ingredients for Fredagsmys on TV4. I can´t say i have seen many films that include gay characters, but the ones i have seen have been good. And i am sure that there will be more good releases coming our way. I stumbled across a smaller film 4th Man Out, that i only seen a trailer of. Since i usually enjoy smaller independent films, i thought i might as well give this film a try. I noticed that actor Jon Gabrus was included in the cast to this film, and i remembered him from Stephen Frears film Muhammad Ali´s Greatest Fight. He only had a smaller part in the film, but the cast was amazing, with Christopher Plummer, Frank Langella, Ed Begley Jr, Peter Gerety, Barry Levinson and Danny Glover. Lots of old school actors, who all did a good job on that film. Since i have not heard almost nothing about 4th Man Out, is this a suprisingly funny film, or have we seen this too many times before ?

Adam ( Evan Todd ) is a car mechanic, who have a lot of fun with his best friends Chris ( Parker Young ), Nick ( Chord Overstreet ) and Ortu ( Jon Gabrus ). They hang out, play games together, hit bars and just enjoy spending time together. But Adam is carrying a secret, something he have known for a long time. He is gay, but he is afraid to tell his best friends. His friends want him to find a great girl, and enjoy life, but they don´t know how Adam really feels. Can he tell them his biggest secret, or is their friendship about to be destroyed because of him ?

Making fun of a subject of homosexuality can be sensitive, but i think if you do it a positive way, people can enjoy themselves and see the point with the message. 4th Man Out is sort of a drama comedy, basically telling a story how friends react when one of them turn out to be gay. Now, this is nothing new, or refreshing. We have seen this in other films, done in different ways. The good news is that 4th Man Out does have something to say, even if we recognize the concept. We all know that you learn who your real friends are, the ones who respect you for who you are. And this is something we should appreciate, good friends are worth keeping. The characters in this film are pretty basic men, who talk about ordinary day life, and have a good time. Of course they become surprised of their friends confession. How would you feel if one of your best friends turn out to be gay ? I think if you love your friend, it should not matter if she or he is gay, you are still the same friends. What makes 4th Man Out pretty funny, is different situations, where they have discussions about what it is like to be gay. The funniest of the characters is without a doubt Ortu, played by Jon Grabus. He is just the friend we all need, who knows what to say, at the right moment, or does he ? He is a mixture of James Belushi and Stiffmeister, who gets the party started, and never stops. His luck with ladies may not be very big, but you have to love his character. The main character Adam, played by Evan Todd, is the man who is trying to deal with his sexuality. You feel sorry for him, at the same time happy that he dares to tell the truth. Evan gives a good performance, and tries to show us what it could be like in his situation. There are some funny moments, when Adam´s friends try to be the same friends they have always been. How do you talk to gay people ? Can you say whatever you want as male friends, or could he be hurt ? This is where Ortu kicks in and say everything wrong, and i love his character. Director Andrew Nackman have directed short films in the past, and 4th Man Out is his debut feature film. He manage to make a simple film, feel both funny, and dramatic, in a good way. Not original in any way, but that is ok. Because what makes 4th Man Out a good film, is the characters. When the boys hang out, discuss about life, problems, relationships, you can see that there is a connection with these actors. The story itself may be very simple, but it is the friendship that makes this film function in a positive way. 4th Man Out is not anything special. But as a drama comedy, i think this film manage to deliver the message of how important good friends are in our lives. Gay or straight, who cares ? Good friends are worth to hang on to.

Rating: DDD