// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did "One, Two, Many" say to the math book? You've got a lot of numbers.

One, Two, Many
Directed by	Michael DeLorenzo
Written by	John Melendez
Produced by	John Melendez
Starring	John Melendez Bellamy Young Jeffrey Ross Hudson Leick Terryn Westbrook Mark Cuban
Cinematography	Massimo Zeri
Edited by	Erica Jean
Music by	Timothy Andrew Edwards
Production companies	Chapter 2 Productions Digital Film Company
Distributed by	Arts Alliance America
Release date	April 15, 2008 (2008-04-15)
Running time	88 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

One, Two, Many is a 2008 American sex comedy film directed by Michael DeLorenzo and written and produced by John Melendez, who also stars. Released under the National Lampoon brand, the film also features Bellamy Young, Jeffrey Ross, Hudson Leick, Terryn Westbrook, and Mark Cuban. It follows a struggling actor whose search for a partner willing to participate in threesomes threatens his relationship with a woman who initially accepts the arrangement.

Plot

Thomas Burns is a struggling actor whose relationships repeatedly end because he insists that his ideal partner must be willing to participate in threesomes. His friend Ernie encourages his pursuit, while his therapist suggests that the fantasy prevents him from forming a committed relationship.

During a temporary acting job, Thomas meets Jennifer, who says that she might consider a threesome within a secure relationship. After the two begin dating, an attempted encounter with an escort collapses when Thomas repeatedly leaves to obtain money. They later meet Darla, a singer who is primarily attracted to Jennifer.

The encounter initially appears to fulfill Thomas's fantasy, but his continued interest in Darla causes Jennifer to question his commitment. Jealousy and resentment develop as Thomas pushes the arrangement beyond the boundaries he and Jennifer established, forcing him to choose between continuing to pursue his fantasy and preserving their relationship.

Cast

The principal cast includes:

• John Melendez as Thomas Burns
• Bellamy Young as Jennifer
• Jeffrey Ross as Ernie
• Hudson Leick as Darla
• Sandra Taylor as Sally
• Jim J. Bullock as Derek
• Mark Cuban as Seamus
• Terryn Westbrook as Denise
• Suzanna Keller as Theresa
• Mailon Rivera as Benjamin
• Jennifer Sciole as Maria
• Bonnie Aarons as the woman in the bathroom
• Allie McCulloch as Charlene

Production

Melendez wrote the screenplay after receiving only minor acting roles during his early career. He told Reuters that he completed the first version approximately eight years before the film's release and initially raised some financing, but not enough to begin production. The project was revived after one of his friends found an investor willing to finance it.

In November 2007, Screen Daily reported that National Lampoon was offering the film to international distributors. The publication described One, Two, Many as a “pick-up comedy”, distinguishing it from the company's internally developed productions. National Lampoon had acquired the film by January 2008.

The film was produced through Chapter 2 Productions and Digital Film Company. In addition to writing and starring in the film, Melendez served as a producer, while Marc Fiore and Caron Feldman were also credited as producers.

Release

One, Two, Many premiered at the ArcLight Theatre in Hollywood on April 10, 2008. It was commercially released as a direct-to-video film on April 15, 2008, by Arts Alliance America.

The DVD presents the film in an anamorphic 1.85:1 aspect ratio and includes Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 audio tracks. Its supplementary material consists of a feature-length commentary by DeLorenzo and Melendez, a two-minute photograph gallery, and a five-minute blooper reel. In his review of the disc, Brian Orndorf noted that the commentary discusses production difficulties including a hard-drive failure and the use of existing locations to represent other settings.

Reception

Published reviews of One, Two, Many were predominantly negative, although at least one contemporary reviewer offered a favorable assessment.

Brian Orndorf of DVD Talk gave the film a D− and characterized it as a vanity project for Melendez. He criticized the screenplay, DeLorenzo's direction, the production values, and the reliance on sexual and scatological humor. Orndorf was more favorable toward Young, calling her “the film's lone candle of appeal”, and found the DVD commentary's discussion of the production more interesting than the film itself.

Jeff Bachman of Campus Circle gave the film an F. He argued that its opening minutes disclosed the central premise, the protagonist's background, and the likely resolution, leaving the remainder of the film with little additional material to develop. Bachman also criticized its treatment of the sexual premise and wrote that the leading role might have been better suited to comedian Andrew Dice Clay.

David Johnson of DVD Verdict criticized the premise, screenplay, and performances. He found Thomas difficult to sympathize with and argued that the film's attempted lesson about relationships was undermined by the character's behavior. Johnson concluded that One, Two, Many “isn't sexy or funny or anything else”.

James Musgrove of IGN focused much of his criticism on Melendez's performance, objecting to his vocal delivery and exaggerated facial expressions. He described Thomas as “one of the most unlikable protagonists in recent memory”.

In a more favorable review for We Are Movie Geeks, Scott wrote that he was surprised by the film and impressed by Melendez's performance in his first substantial film role. Although he considered some of the humor deliberately exaggerated or “cheesy”, he praised several of the scenes involving Ross and recommended the film to viewers interested in a low-budget comedy.

Rotten Tomatoes lists Orndorf's D− assessment as the film's sole indexed professional review.

External links

• One, Two, Many at IMDb
• One, Two, Many at Rotten Tomatoes