Threesomes have long been a titillating subject explored in movies, offering a glimpse into the complicated dynamics of love, lust, and jealousy that can arise when three people become intimately entangled. From steamy dramas to playful comedies, filmmakers have found endless inspiration in the ménage à trois. In this article, we’ll count down the 20 best threesome movies ever made.
20. Threesome (1994)
Kicking off our list is the aptly titled 1994 comedy Threesome. The plot revolves around a college student named Alex who, due to a computer error, ends up sharing a dorm suite with two male students, Stuart and Eddy. Sexual tension builds as Alex is attracted to Eddy, Eddy has feelings for Stuart, and Stuart lusts after Alex. Filled with ’90s style and sensibility, Threesome is a fun, lighthearted take on a complicated situation.
19. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona stars Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson as two American friends spending a summer in Spain. Their lives take a wild turn when they meet a charismatic artist (Javier Bardem) and his volatile ex-wife (Penélope Cruz). The four characters engage in a roundelay of romance and passion, with Cruz’s performance as the unstable ex earning her an Academy Award. It’s a smart, sexy film that explores the complexities of desire.
18. Y Tu Mamá También (2001)
This Mexican drama, whose title translates to “And Your Mother Too,” follows two teenage boys (Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna) who take a road trip with an attractive older woman (Maribel Verdú). As they make their way to a secluded beach, the three characters share intimate conversations and experiences, culminating in a famous threesome scene that’s as emotionally charged as it is erotic. Y Tu Mamá También is a coming-of-age story that doesn’t shy away from the messiness of burgeoning sexuality.
17. Wild Things (1998)
Wild Things is a campy, over-the-top erotic thriller starring Matt Dillon as a high school guidance counselor accused of rape by two students (Neve Campbell and Denise Richards). The twisty plot is full of double-crosses and secret alliances, punctuated by a notorious poolside threesome with Campbell, Richards, and Dillon. While the scene was considered extremely racy at the time, Wild Things never takes itself too seriously, making it a guilty pleasure favorite.
16. Zoolander (2001)
The Ben Stiller comedy Zoolander is mostly a goofy satire of the fashion industry, but it does feature one of the funniest almost-threesome scenes in movie history. Male models Derek (Stiller) and Hansel (Owen Wilson) decide to team up to take down the villainous Mugatu (Will Ferrell). To seal their newfound alliance, the two engage in a “walk-off” modeling competition that turns shockingly sexual as they strip down to their underwear. When Matilda (Christine Taylor) joins them, a threesome seems imminent…until they’re hilariously interrupted.
15. Henry & June (1990)
Based on the novel by Anaïs Nin, Henry & June explores the famous real-life love triangle between Nin (Maria de Medeiros), author Henry Miller (Fred Ward), and his wife June (Uma Thurman). Set in 1930s Paris, the film is a lush, poetic portrayal of bohemian sexuality and the pursuit of artistic truth. With its mature subject matter and intimate scenes, Henry & June was the first film to receive the MPAA’s NC-17 rating.
14. Laurel Canyon (2002)
In this indie drama, Christian Bale and Kate Beckinsale play an uptight young couple who move to Los Angeles and end up staying with his free-spirited record producer mother Jane (Frances McDormand). Jane is entangled in a relationship with the lead singer of the band she’s working with (Alessandro Nivola), and before long, the two couples begin blurring boundaries, leading to a drug-fueled threesome. Laurel Canyon is a moody, atmospheric film that captures the allure and danger of hedonistic excess.
13. Summer Lovers (1982)
A quintessential ’80s erotic drama, Summer Lovers stars Peter Gallagher and Daryl Hannah as a young American couple vacationing on a beautiful Greek island. Their relationship is tested when they both fall for a French archaeologist named Lina (Valérie Quennessen). Rather than fight over her, the three decide to live together in a blissful ménage à trois. With its sun-drenched cinematography and attractive cast, Summer Lovers is the ultimate fantasy of free love abroad.
12. Sirens (1994)
Hugh Grant stars in this Australian comedy-drama as an uptight Anglican priest sent to convince notorious artist Norman Lindsay (Sam Neill) to withdraw his “scandalous” work from an exhibition. Arriving at Lindsay’s stunning estate, the priest and his wife (Tara Fitzgerald) become entangled with the artist’s bohemian entourage, including his three alluring models (Elle Macpherson, Portia de Rossi, and Kate Fischer). Sirens is a provocative, sensual film that explores the line between art and obscenity.
11. The Dreamers (2003)
Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Dreamers is set against the backdrop of the 1968 Paris student riots. American exchange student Matthew (Michael Pitt) befriends twins Théo and Isabelle (Louis Garrel and Eva Green), who share an unusually intimate bond. As political unrest rages in the streets, the three hole up in the twins’ apartment, where their relationship turns increasingly sexual and dangerous. With its NC-17 rating and explicit scenes, The Dreamers is not for the prudish, but it’s a fascinating portrait of youth, rebellion, and taboo desire.
10. Splendor (1999)
Gregg Araki’s Splendor is a playful, candy-colored comedy about a young woman named Veronica (Kathleen Robertson) who decides she doesn’t have to choose between the two men she loves, Abel (Johnathon Schaech) and Zed (Matt Keeslar). The three move in together and form a surprisingly functional family unit, complete with a baby on the way. But their unconventional bliss can’t last forever. Splendor charmingly explores whether a threesome can truly be a viable romantic option.
9. The Handmaiden (2016)
This sumptuous Korean thriller from director Park Chan-wook transposes the novel Fingersmith to 1930s Japan-occupied Korea. Sook-hee (Kim Tae-ri) is hired as a handmaiden to wealthy heiress Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee), but she’s secretly in league with a conman (Ha Jung-woo) who plans to seduce the Lady and steal her fortune. The plot twists and turns with delirious glee, anchored by the smoldering chemistry between the two women. The Handmaiden features some of the most stunningly shot lesbian sex scenes in cinema, including a steamy threesome that’s crucial to the plot.
8. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
Woody Allen’s late-career hit Vicky Cristina Barcelona stars Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson as a pair of American friends spending a summer in Spain. Their lives are upended by a passionate artist (Javier Bardem) and his volatile ex-wife (Penélope Cruz, in an Oscar-winning performance). The four engage in a roundelay of sex and romance, with each pairing sizzling in its own way. But it’s the central threesome between Johansson, Bardem, and Cruz that scorches the screen with palpable heat.
7. Y Tu Mamá También (2001)
Before taking on Harry Potter, Alfonso Cuarón directed this provocative Mexican road trip movie. Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna star as a pair of teenage boys who convince an attractive older woman (Maribel Verdú) to join them on a trip to a secluded beach. Along the way, the three share intimate conversations, drug-fueled adventures, and ultimately an intense threesome that changes everything between them. Y Tu Mamá También captures the ache and uncertainty of youth with raw sensuality.
6. Savages (2012)
Oliver Stone’s Savages stars Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Taylor-Johnson as a pair of Laguna Beach marijuana kingpins who share a girlfriend, Ophelia (Blake Lively). Their idyllic life is threatened when a Mexican drug cartel tries to take over their business and kidnaps Ophelia. The two men launch a daring mission to get her back, no matter how savage they have to become. Savages is a lurid, pulpy thriller with a surprising romantic streak, and Lively more than holds her own between her two lovers.
5. Threesome (1994)
This 1994 comedy stars Lara Flynn Boyle as a college student named Alex who, due to a housing shortage, ends up sharing a dorm suite with two guys, Stuart (Stephen Baldwin) and Eddy (Josh Charles). Sexual tension mounts as Alex falls for Eddy, Eddy has a crush on Stuart, and Stuart lusts after Alex. Eventually they decide the only solution is to have a threesome. While played for laughs, Threesome was quite envelope-pushing for its time in its depiction of a same-sex love triangle.
4. Henry & June (1990)
Henry & June dramatizes the real-life love triangle between Anaïs Nin (Maria de Medeiros), Henry Miller (Fred Ward), and his wife June (Uma Thurman) in 1930s Paris. Nin, an emerging writer, becomes fascinated by the Millers and their bohemian lifestyle, entering into a passionate affair with both of them. With its adult subject matter and intimate scenes, Henry & June was the first film to receive an NC-17 rating. It’s a lush, poetic exploration of sexuality and the pursuit of art.
3. Wild Things (1998)
This deliciously trashy erotic thriller stars Matt Dillon as a high school guidance counselor accused of rape by two students, wealthy princess Kelly (Denise Richards) and troubled bad girl Suzie (Neve Campbell). But all is not as it seems, as the twisty plot throws in double-crosses, secret alliances, and a famously steamy threesome in a swimming pool. Wild Things is campy and over-the-top in the best way, anchored by the palpable chemistry between its three leads.
2. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
One of Woody Allen’s biggest late-career hits, Vicky Cristina Barcelona follows a pair of American friends (Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson) on a summer trip to Spain, where they become entangled with a passionate artist (Javier Bardem) and his fiery ex-wife (Penélope Cruz). The pairings between the four crackle with chemistry, but it’s the central threesome with Johansson, Bardem, and Cruz that really sizzles. It’s a sexy, sun-drenched romp that also has a lot to say about the complexities of desire.
1. Y Tu Mamá También (2001)
Our pick for the best threesome movie of all time is Alfonso Cuarón’s Y Tu Mamá También. Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna star as a pair of teenage boys who convince an older woman (Maribel Verdú) to join them on a road trip to a secluded beach. As they make their way through the Mexican countryside, the three share intimate conversations, new experiences, and ultimately an intense, life-changing threesome. Raw, honest, and deeply sensual, Y Tu Mamá También perfectly captures the ache and uncertainty of youth, and how a single sexual encounter can change everything. It’s a true erotic classic.
So there you have it – the 20 best threesome movies of all time. From fun, flirty comedies to serious, steamy dramas, the ménage à trois has inspired many unforgettable cinematic moments over the years. Whether you’re watching for the titillating thrills or the emotional complexity, these films all offer unique insights into the eternal complications of sex, love, and relationships. Just remember, as fun as they may seem on screen, three-ways are probably best left to the movies!
