Relationships are hard and, according to writer-director Victor Neumark’s First Blush, figuring out a relationship when it's a triad is even harder. The film has a fascinating setup, one which immediately and organically links the characters to each other in a well-acted drama. While First Blush has a few missteps that stifle the overall story, it does well in its exploration of relationships and what it means to be happy.
Nena (Rachel Alig) and Drew (Ryan Caraway) are a relatively happy married couple. However, when they meet Olivia (Kate Beecroft) at Nena’s 30th birthday party, Nena quickly senses a connection with the formal model. After discussing it with Drew, he and Nena decide to become romantically involved with Olivia. As time goes on, the polyamorous relationship starts to chip away at unresolved issues, insecurities, and painful truths about what they want from each other, love, and what it will take to make things work.
First Blush is consumed with the complications polyamorous relationship poses to the characters. At first, it’s all about how much fun the threesome is; Nena and Drew are deliriously happy with their decision to enter into a ménage à trois with Olivia, unexpectedly so. The first half of the film is lovely, gently and thoughtfully developing the trio's relationship beyond the bedroom — which is fine because Neumark doesn’t seem interested in focusing on the sex, but the individuals at the core of this relationship.
There’s a lot to explore because they bring out different things in one another and, once some of the awkwardness passes, Nena, Drew, and Olivia settle into a routine that marks a new phase in their lives. First Blush does a wonderful job of making these characters feel so very human. They struggle, they’re somewhat graceless, they don’t always know what they want, and that’s incredibly refreshing and authentic to the story. In a way, the polyamorous relationship affords them a sense of freedom they didn’t previously have and the conversations spent on wanting to be happy and what that ultimately means are some of the film’s best moments.
The euphoric joy doesn’t last for very long, however, as the relationship enters the phase of slow deterioration, with questions regarding Nena’s controlling grip on both Drew and Olivia, the rules and boundaries that they never fully discussed, and more. The film delves deep into the pros and cons of entering into a threesome, but First Blush spends most of its time unraveling the relationship before it ever gets to flourish. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but the film should have spent more time establishing who these characters are, as well as Nena and Drew’s interpersonal conflicts, before the ménage à trois. With more time spent on the buildup, the turbulent drama that comes later on would have been far more satisfying to watch. This is especially true with regards to Nena, who becomes the easy target for the rising tension and angst.
Brett A. Frager’s cinematography is awash with gray undertones that seem to reflect the cloudiness and turbulence of the central relationship itself. This often lends to the film’s sense of intimacy as well, with Nena and Drew’s apartment the small, enclosed space that simultaneously showcases their closeness to Olivia while amplifying the unnerving tension that follows. Ultimately, First Blush works as an engaging, compelling exploration of how a change in a relationship can also wake up unresolved personal issues. However, while the first half is incredibly strong, Neumark struggles with bringing it all together in the end by rushing to bring the characters into conflict with one another.
First Blush is available on digital and video on demand as of February 2, 2021. The film is 107 minutes long and is not yet rated.
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