CINEMA: Three And Out

The concept of a comedy based on the sorry tale of a tube driver who has had two members of the public die under his train may not strike you as a good idea. And guess what, it isn’t, because Three And Out is singularly unfunny.

Paul (MacKenzie Crook) is the hapless driver in question, traumatized by his experience. But when he hears it is company policy to release with ten years’ pay any driver who happens to kill three people, he sees light at the end of the tunnel. Only problem is, he needs to find victim number three. Enter Tommy (Colm Meaney), a man who has decided to end it all, but first he needs to visit his daughter (Gemma Arterton) in the Lake District.

So far, so chuckle-free. Although the film has fine production values (and a lovely performance from Imelda Staunton as Tommy’s wife) the story is all over the place and the gallows humour is never delivered with enough conviction. None of it rings true and you find yourself sympathising with the spirited Tommy far more than the really rather wet Paul.

If you’ve ever had your journey on the tube disrupted due to a ‘person under a train’ this will prove very unfunny indeed. Dee Pilgrim