As the old saying goes, "two's company, three's a crowd." Entire sub-genres of cinema are devoted to great on-screen duos: buddy films, buddy cop movies, crime duos, etc. More rare, but equally enjoyable when done right, is the great on-screen trio. When the chemistry, casting, and writing is just right, character trios make for great ensemble films in any genre.
Some of these characters are heroes, some are antiheroes, and some are villainous. Some are funny, some are scary, and some are both. Each of these trios' films, however, is a classic in its own right.
Shadow, Chance, And Sassy - Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)
This 1993 Disney remake of 1963's The Incredible Journey boasts one of the most endearing movie trios ever, and none of them are human. Shadow, the old wise man of the group, is an aging golden retriever. Chance is a young and spunky bulldog who spars with the aptly named Sassy, a Himalayan cat. The three of them set out on a journey to reunite with their family after they mistakenly assume they've been lost and abandoned.
The film is funny and heartwarming throughout, and the final scene is sure to bring a tear to the eye of even the most jaded of viewers.
Tyler, The Narrator, and Marla - Fight Club (1999)
This is about as unconventional a trio as could be, as two of the three characters are the same person. Tyler Durden and the story's nameless narrator, two sides of the same person's psyche, become involved with a woman. The three then set up with them a home in an abandoned house.
Because the audience isn't supposed to catch the twist until near the end of the film, the writing and the choreography surrounding the characters' interactions was very specific. For example, when Marla is standing in the kitchen, Tyler won't enter the room until the narrator exits.
Watching Fight Club a second time, audiences can appreciate the brilliant execution of the scenes containing Marla, Tyler, and the narrator.
Alan, Lex, And Tim - Jurassic Park (1993)
When everything goes wrong in Jurassic Park, the large ensemble of characters is split into groups. This leaves Alan Grant, a paleontologist who makes his disdain for children known in his first scene in the film, caring for John Hammond's two grandchildren, Lex and Tim.
The three of them share a handful of great action sequences, as well as some more tender moments, such as when they play with Brontosauruses from the top of a tree where they hide for the night. By the end of the film, Alan grows attached to the kids and reconsiders his distaste for children.
Ferris, Cameron, And Sloane - Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
The 1986 John Hughes classic teen comedy Ferris Bueller's Day Off boasts one of the great comic trios in movie history. Ferris and his girlfriend, Sloane, convince Ferris' best friend, Cameron, to abscond with his father's Ferrari for the day so they can play hooky and take a trip into Chicago.
The film is one of the most beloved of its decade, thanks to the great chemistry of its three lead performers. Their antics provide for great entertainment, and their friendship is the heart and soul of this endearing 80's classic.
Jimmy, Henry, And Tommy - Goodfellas (1990)
Director Martin Scorsese's masterpiece Goodfellas tells the mostly true story of Henry Hill's experience as a would-be mobster. Since Henry and Jimmy Conway are part Irish and weren't of full Italian descent, they can never be "made men." They work with Tommy DeVito, who has more access to the inside of the organization, but whose violent temper gets in the way of his ambitions.
Played by Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, and Joe Pesci, who won an Oscar for his performance, these "good fellas" make for a dynamite movie trio whose legacy lives on to this day.
Harry, Ron, And Hermione - The Harry Potter Series (2001-2011)
Harry Potter may have top billing, but the acclaimed films based on the instant-classic novels were true ensemble efforts. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson all grow up on screen between the first and the last entry in the film series, which spanned 10 years from 2001 to 2011.
Harry is the leader, Ron is the sidekick, and Hermione is the brains of the operation. The three of them are the core of the Harry Potter universe and brought the epic saga to life with heart, humor, and charisma.
Brody, Hooper, And Quint - Jaws (1975)
1975's Jaws is a creature feature, but film enthusiasts have also thought of it as an unconventional western, in that the plot consists of a trio of men venturing into uncharted territory to combat a deadly enemy. Brody, Hooper, and Quint are a police chief, a scientist, and a seafarer, respectively, who are forced to do battle with a great white shark that's terrorizing their beach community.
In the novel, Brody is the lone survivor, but in Steven Spielberg's cinematic adaptation, Richard Dreyfuss' Hooper is allowed to live as well. Quint being killed by the shark is perhaps the film's most memorable sequences.
The Dude, Walter, And Donny - The Big Lebowski (1998)
In the Coen brothers' cult classic The Big Lebowski, Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski, Walter Sobchak, and Donny Kerabatsos are the bowling trio whose quest for the tournament championship is disrupted when The Dude is mistaken for a millionaire by the same name and becomes a key player in an illicit kidnapping plot. The team chemistry is shaky to begin with, as Walter is constantly frustrated by Donny's aloofness, and The Dude's preoccupation with bigger problems threatens to derail their prospects entirely.
The scenes at the bowling alley between the three characters are comic gold, whose quotable dialogue lives on more than 20 years since the film's release.
Phil, Stu, And Alan - The Hangover Trilogy (2009 - 2013)
2009's The Hangover is a bonafide comedy classic, thanks to the performances of Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis as Phil, Stu, and Alan. The film begins with a quartet of friends in Las Vegas for a bachelor party, however, when the groom-to-be goes missing after a wild night on the town, the three remaining buddies must solve the mystery of his disappearance and return him home in time to be married. The chemistry of the three leads is what made the film such a massive hit.
Cooper, Helms, and Galifianakis went on to star in both sequels, which, though inferior to the original, were still plenty entertaining.
Luke, Leia, And Han - The Star Wars Saga (1977 - 1983)
It's awfully difficult to make the case that there's a more iconic movie trio than Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo in the Star Wars saga. They are the heroes who carried the timeless original Star Wars films to movie immortality. The love story between Leia and Han, the chemistry of the actors, and the tumultuous nature of their relationships made them the ultimate on-screen team, in that their story as a trio was full of drama, romance, and excitement all by itself.