Throuple (2025) Movie Review: A tender tale about queer identity and complications in modern relationships

Sometimes growing up doesn’t come with a set of rules and disciplines. It’s not like one day you randomly decide to do things in a different way completing your arc by becoming someone more human. I believe that growing up doesn’t come with a third act. The third act is always open to bringing in newer things and experiences while also letting go of older things and experiences. So, when the protagonist in Greyson Horst’s “Throuple” gets to his third act, it almost feels like he has started right from where he began. Does that make his growing-up arc any less important? I don’t think so.

“Throuple” follows Micheal (played by Michael Doshier who also serves as the screenwriter) – a lonely, struggling musician in New York who lives in his head. Not only is he full of self-doubts, but to some extent, he is also full of himself. Somewhere in his mid-20s, Micheal has never had a full-blown relationship to date. Apart from being openly gay, he doesn’t associate with anything or anyone, and from the likes of it; the self-questioning often leads him miles away from committing to something. His musical career is not going anywhere, so he clings to his best friend Tristan (Tristan Carter-Jones) who is also kinda co-dependent on him despite being in a healthy relationship with her music producer cum girlfriend Abby (Jess Gabor).

Abby is not fond of the fact that Micheal doesn’t leave space for her relationship to bloom with Tristan, but she is too polite to say anything. However, her problems get a temporary fix on their own when, at one of Tristan’s live performances, Micheal meets up with Connor (Tommy Heleringer) and Georgie (Stanton Plummer-Cambridge). Connor and Georgie are happily married to each other, but since Georgie is eager to open up their marriage for potential new partners, they let Micheal in. The resulting few days go by in a jiff as Micheals finally tastes the idea of being seen and accepted for being himself for the first time.

It’s a new experience for him and he allows his feelings to completely take over. But, of course, things don’t always go in the way that one wants. Despite belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community, we can clearly see that Micheal’s worldview isn’t as radical as he portrays it to be. He is an old-school romantic at heart and like most modern-day relationships, the idea of sharing cultivates jealousy in his heart. The self-doubt returns, with the dynamics between the throuple – both ways with that of Connor and Georgie and with Tristan and Abby, is triggered.

What follows is Micheal’s journey of truly understanding who he is and what he desires, giving us a joyous, albeit undercooked enterprise that is as much about queer identity as it is about the complexity of modern relationships. The thematic elements in the play control the narrative in a way, but director Greyson Horst and writer Michael Doshier are more eager to see and provide us with a universal tale about a character’s internal and external conflict with himself and those close to him.

“Throuple” is about Micheal, but it also lets 4 other key characters and their stories take hold. The queer experience here is provided with the backdrop of the musical scene in New York – giving a hip, earthy vibe to the narrative. Noticing and understanding Connor, Georgie, Tristan, and Abby, along with their needs and desires is as essential as understanding Micheal. And while these wonderful actors allow their real-world experiences to seep into characters, the undercooked nature of their stories doesn’t allow the film to truly come through. It also doesn’t help that the climatic realization doesn’t feel earned, despite showing signs of letting us take away something that is more profound and intriguing.

That said, “Throuple” is a tender tale that understands that real growth is often a circle that closes and begins again. Since the film doesn’t judge Micheal and his choice but also makes sure to not glorify him, it’s a treat to watch his tale unfold.