The Third

A film that inevitably recalls Roman Polanski's 1962 Noz w Wodzie, Polish director Jan Hryniak's tense psychodrama The Third (Trzeci) enters the dark and claustrophobic territory of a marriage fractured and falling slowly to pieces. Jaciek Poniedzialek stars as Pawel, a Polish husband so obsessed with work-related commitments that he lets those obligations all but destroy his nuptials with wife Ewa (Magdalena Cielecka). The couple plans a romantic getaway together on a yacht, intended to bring new life and vitality to their marriage, but at the last minute, Pawel is called away from the boat on yet another work assignment, to finalize a multi-million dollar contract. Discouraged and downtrodden, the couple makes their way home, but runs into the so-called "third" of the title - an enigmatic older gentleman who vehemently insists that he has unusual "methods" for healing their relationship. Little do Ewa and Pawel realize what lies in store for them.