Highly Overrated But Still Good

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Blistering performances.

When a controversial gay rights activist comes under physical threat from person or persons unknown, he turns to a gay private investigator, expecting unconditional support and assistance. Things don't go well until tragedy strikes...Fantastic idea that frames a number of interesting questions e.g. does being gay mean automatically accepting and agreeing with all gay politics and attitudes, within the fascinating conceit of presenting a traditional gumshoe who is happily 'out' as a gay man. Sadly, the execution of this relatively low-budget production is frankly terrible, ham-strung by clunking dialogue and some of the worst supporting actor performances I've seen in a while. Chad Allen has charm and chops to spare, and Spence is endearing but for the most part they are horribly hindered by an unimaginative and hackneyed script and a host of wooden performances.Big shame...Here's hoping if Joseph Hansen's Brandstetter series ever reaches the screen (small or large), it'll be better than this.

This film is about a gay detective who is hired to investigate the death of a gay activist.I can hardly believe that "Third Man Out" is a made for TV film. It is a well written mystery with much suspense and thrill throughout. Donald Strachey investigates his case in a Sherlock Holmes style, laid out in an engaging manner which drives the viewers to long for more. The ending twists and progresses quickly, but it does not lose the viewers. It is rare to see a mystery film with a great plot. It is also refreshing to see Donald Strachey and Timmy Callahan as wholesome characters. The only complaint I have is that they seem to have only one lighting source for interior scenes, so some scenes are poorly lit with the main character in shadow. Otherwise, I enjoyed watching "Third Man Out".

I have seen the Richard Stevenson novels in bookstores for years, but was never really compelled to pick one up. I'm glad that HERE! saw fit to begin adapting them for a cable movie series, since there's never been anything like it. Having said that, I hope that the production values pick up in future episodes, because THIRD MAN OUT really has a hard time keeping its low-budget seams hidden. What definitely redeems it is the chemistry between the two leads, Chad Allen (DR. QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN) and Sebastian Spence (the Sci-Fi Channel series FIRST WAVE).Allen stars as Stevenson hero Donald Strachey, an openly gay P.I. with the hard-boiled, streetwise demeanor you'd expect from any gumshoe worth his weight in pictures of cheating spouses, and whose main soft spot is his love for husband Timmy (Spence), who works as the chief aide for a Senator. THIRD MAN finds Strachey involved with the case of a muck-raking gay journalist named John Rutka (Jack Wetherall - "Uncle Vic" from the series QUEER AS FOLK), whose specialty is outing prominent figures in politics and entertainment whose actions and beliefs are detrimental to the gay community. John is about to select his next "coverboy" for his notorious website "The Rutka Report," when several attempts are made on his life, each one deadlier than the next. Rutka manages to hire a reluctant Strachey to take his case, but when evidence comes to light that the hated activist might be trying to play him for a patsy, Donald drops the case faster than a pan of hot-cross buns. But once Rutka's fears of being murdered are finally justified, he takes up the trail once again to find the killer. All the regular conventions of investigative crime dramas are here, with the gay angle providing some fresh and unusual wrinkles. The only problem is that the reliance on this aspect gets a little heavy-handed at times, even preachy (Wetherall has his work cut out for him, making Rutka's speeches about outing hypocritical power players sound justified without careening into crazed zealotry, but he manages well.) What keeps the movie entertaining is the banter and the obviously loving relationship between Don and Timmy, (whose portrayal as kind of a gay "Nick and Nora Charles" is 100% intentional.) None of the "mystery" would even be very engaging if they didn't work, and the two actors are great together, making me want to see more from them. (Fortunately, there's another movie and many more books to film as well.)The supporting cast besides Wetherall aren't bad, and Sean Young appears in a cameo where she's not exactly wasted, but one wished her role had been much larger. The target audience for this movie becomes more than apparent by the casting of Falcon porn-god Matthew Rush as a C.I. of Strachey's. Nice to know that along with his incredible looks, Rush CAN actually say lines convincingly and not bump into the furniture, (in spite of a blanket prejudicial perception applied to many of the "actors" from that particular part of the industry.)As I mentioned before, the settings in which the film takes place are more than overtly "Vancouveresque", although the story is supposed to be taking place somewhere in the U.S. - a snag that hamstrings many North American productions, but definitely more of those films of the lower-budget variety.Director Ron Oliver still plays it smart by concentrating on the more 'noir-ish' aspects of the drama, and the appealing chemistry of the cutest gay couple in crime-solving. Here's hoping that everyone ups the ante in future episodes, because all things considered, THIRD MAN OUT is still an engaging, entertaining start.

This is one of the most satisfying "gay" films I've seen since "Beautiful Thing," and one of the best mystery-married pairings since John and Sherlock, or should I say Nick and Nora. It's the story of Donald Strachey, tough guy P.I. with a shady past and a sweet tooth for guy pal Sebastian Spence. It's a good story, not a great one, with a sultry jazz score and topical references to such controversial subjects as celebrity outing and pedophiliac priests. What makes it work is the unconventional casting of Chad Allen (who is gay himself, but doesn't look it--although one character dubs him "Nancy-boy Drew") as Strachey, who just happens to be very happily married to Timothy (played by Sebastian Spence, who is apparently straight, and maybe that's why his character overdoes the nelly a bit). Allen, as Strachey, is developing very nicely as an actor, and he's more interesting looking now than he ever was as a child. In "Third Man Out," he gets solid support from QAF's Jack Wetherall and Sean Young. Apparently, this is the first in a series, based on the novels by Richard Stevenson and set, contrarily, in Albany, rather than in New York City or San Francisco. Hopefully, it will prove popular enough with its intended audience that other books in the series will also be filmed. Apart from the rather pedestrian direction (by Ron Oliver) and a couple of too obvious twists in the plot, "Third Man" is entertaining throughout.