Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | Final Verdict
The Story:
4th Man Out is the straightest gay buddy movie I have ever seen. It’s about Adam (Evan Todd), a closeted gay man who comes out to his three straight friends on his twenty-fourth birthday. Chris (Parker Young), being Adam’s closest friend, tries to keep the gang together while Adam’s other friends, Nick (Chord Overstreet) and Ortu (Jon Gabrus), do their best not to get too freaked out. And basically, that’s the story.
It’s a bit of a smorgasbord of stereotypical straight guy things, sports, poker, picking up girls. Adam’s parents are poorly underdeveloped caricatures. The mother tries to force a local girl on Adam, the father is a vague representation of a father, and Adam’s sister is a woman sitting at the dinner table. There’s also a religious neighbor (Brooke Dillman) who thinks Adam is going to hell.
What’s really odd about this movie is that Adam doesn’t know any gay people. Aside from a few men Adam goes on dates with, he is the only gay character central to the plot.
Some Thoughts:
I like that 4th Man Out takes place in a small town and the main character is a gay guy with a blue collar job. The acting is fine and the direction works, but the story could have used a lot more thought. Although the movie does a good job showing small town America, everybody is too accepting and there isn’t any tension. It also doesn’t help that the characters are all underdeveloped.
The Final Verdict:
4th Man Out is a mildly amusing comedy that is equally entertaining. It also has an amusing coming out scene that involves Adam performing fellatio on a sausage. But alas, that one scene can’t save this movie from mediocrity.
You can see 4th Man Out on Tubi.