Third Man Out: A Donald Strachey Mystery (2005)

...by all the positive reviews here, but absolutely NOT by the caliber of this film. How this gay detective "made for TV" film ever came into existence is the REAL mystery here. Chad Allen as the lead is probably the best actor in this piece, which frankly says a lot. But unless you are a die-hard fan, he's not really strong enough to carry-off the lead in any film. The "made for TV" feel (i.e. sappy/up-beat background music, boxy cinematography and overall pace) seems odd and out of place with full-frontal nudity (think "Murder She Wrote" meets gay porn). The rest of the acting range goes from TV-bad to porn-bad...which is VERY bad. Overall, the high production values (once again, think "Murder She Wrote") and overall polish make it palatable for someone who is into gay-themed movies and wants to kill some time with a little brain-candy.

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.

Well done movie, with some great acting. This movie, will keep viewers on the edge of their seat for part of the movie, first time through. You'll want to view it a second time, to pick up a few more clues, and just plain out enjoy the acting. I felt that the content of the 'publisher' in the story could have been just about anything controversial. It was about outing men that appear to only be straight in society. If it was not so "push the gay envelope, to appear normal" I would have enjoyed it more, and would have rated it 10 stars/excellent. The lead actor is gay, and he and his lover do a great job as showing gay men, as everyday normal people. Everyone will love that, straights/gays alike. I now look forward to the next film ... Shock to the System.