Third Person (film)

{{Infobox film

| name = Third Person

| image = Third Person poster.jpg

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Paul Haggis

| producer = {{Plainlist|

Paul Breuls
Michael Nozik
Paul Haggis

}}

| writer = Paul Haggis

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| music = Dario Marianelli

| cinematography = Gianfilippo Corticelli

| editing = Jo Francis

| studio = {{Plainlist|

Corsan
Highway 61 Films
Volten
Lailaps Pictures
Filmfinance XII

}}

| distributor = {{Plainlist|

Sony Pictures Classics (United States, United Kingdom, Germany and Scandinavia)
Belga Films (Belgium)

}}

| released = {{film date|df=yes|2013|9|9|TIFF|2014|6|20|United States, limited}}

| runtime = 137 minutes

| country = {{Plainlist|

United Kingdom
United States
Germany
Belgium{{cite news |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/toronto-2013-paul-haggis-being-594056 |title=Toronto 2013: Paul Haggis on Being Miserable, Producing 'Third Person' |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=28 July 2013 |access-date=28 July 2013 | last=Vlessing | first=Etan}}

}}

| language = English

| budget =

| gross = $2.6 million{{cite web |url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=thirdperson.htm |title=Third Person |website=Box Office Mojo |access-date=12 July 2021}}

}}

Third Person is a 2013 romantic drama film directed and written by Paul Haggis and starring an ensemble cast consisting of Liam Neeson, Mila Kunis, Adrien Brody, Olivia Wilde, James Franco, Moran Atias, Kim Basinger, and Maria Bello.{{cite news |first=Eric |last=Eisenberg |title=Maria Bello Joins Liam Neeson and Olivia Wilde in Third Person |url=http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Maria-Bello-Joins-Liam-Neeson-Olivia-Wilde-Third-Person-33635.html |access-date=19 March 2013 |website=Cinema Blend |date=17 October 2012}} The film premiered at the 2013 Toronto Film Festival.{{cite news |first=Catherine |last=Shoard |title=Toronto film festival 2013: The Fifth Estate to open packed Oscars preview |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/jul/23/toronto-film-festival-2013-line-up |access-date=23 June 2013 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=23 July 2012}}

Plot

The film tells three inter-connected love stories that take place in Paris, New York, and Italy (Rome and Taranto). It will emerge that most of the characters and storylines are imagined by Michael, who is writing a novel while grieving the death of his son.

Paris: Michael, a writer who recently left his wife Elaine, receives a visit from his lover Anna. The story explores their very complicated on/off relationship due to her inability to commit because of a terrible secret.{{Cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2343793/plotsummary |title=Third Person (2013): Plot Summary |publisher=Internet Movie Database}} It will emerge that Anna is a character in Michael's novel, and that he is using their imagined relationship to deal with the death of his son.

New York: Julia, an ex-soap opera actress turned hotel maid is accused of harming her young son, a charge which she firmly denies. As a result of these charges, he is now in the custody of her ex-husband Rick who is trying everything in his power to take the boy away from her. Meanwhile, she is trying at all costs to regain custody of her son.

Rome and Taranto: Scott, an American businessman on a trip to Italy, falls in love with a Romani woman, Monika. Scott is inevitably drawn into a plot where he tries to free Monika's daughter who has been kidnapped by an Italian gangster in Taranto city and is being held for ransom. Emotions run high as the viewer and Scott question whether this is a setup or not.

Cast

{{castlist|

Liam Neeson as Michael Leary
Olivia Wilde as Anna Barr
James Franco as Rick Weiss
Mila Kunis as Julia Weiss
Adrien Brody as Scott Lowry
Moran Atias as Monika
Maria Bello as Theresa Lowry
Kim Basinger as Elaine Leary
Caroline Goodall as Dr. Gertner
David Harewood as Jake Long
Riccardo Scamarcio as Marco
Loan Chabanol as Sam
Patrick Duggan as NYC Hotel Bell Man

}}

Release

The first international trailer of the film was released on 15 April 2014,{{cite web |last=McDaniel |first=Matt |title='Third Person' Trailer: Liam Neeson and Co-Stars Leave Their Comfort Zone |url=https://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-news/third-person-exclusive-trailer-liam-neeson-olivia-wilde-james-franco-mila-kunis-211224373.html |access-date=17 April 2014 |publisher=Yahoo Movies |date=15 April 2014}} followed by a domestic poster the following day.{{cite web|title=Third Person poster |url=http://www.impawards.com/2014/third_person.html |publisher=IMP Awards |access-date=19 April 2014}} The first US trailer was released on 18 April.{{cite news |last=Anderton |first=Ethan |title=Liam Neeson Writes Melodrama in First US Trailer for 'Third Person' |url=http://www.firstshowing.net/2014/liam-neeson-writes-melodrama-in-first-us-trailer-for-third-person/ |access-date=19 April 2014 |publisher=FirstShowing.net |date=18 April 2014}} The film was released in the United States on 20 June 2014.

Reception

=Box office=

Third Person had a limited release on June 20, 2014, and grossed $1,021,398 in the United States and Canada and $1,603,363 in other territories with a total of $2,624,761 worldwide.

=Critical response=

Third Person received negative reviews from critics. The film has a 26% approval rating on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 105 reviews with an average rating of 4.50/10, with the consensus: "Third Person finds writer-director Paul Haggis working with a stellar cast and a worthy premise; unfortunately, he fails to fashion a consistently compelling movie out of the intriguing ingredients at his disposal."{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/third_person/|title=Third Person|publisher=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=1 April 2024}} Metacritic gave the film a rating of 38/100, based on 33 reviews.{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/third-person|title=Third Person|publisher=Metacritic |access-date=13 May 2020}}

Home media

The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on 30 September 2014.{{cite web|first=Max|last=O'Connell|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2014/09/this-week-in-home-video-once-upon-a-time-in-america-directors-cut-ali-fear-eats-the-soul-125748/|title=This Week in Home Video: 'Once Upon a Time in America' Director's Cut, 'Ali: Fear Eats the Soul'|website=Indiewire|date=30 September 2014|access-date=13 May 2020}}{{cite web |url= http://www.dvdreleasedates.net/dvd/third-person-dvd-release-date/ |title=Third Person |publisher=DVD Release Dates |access-date=5 October 2014}}