Only one thing is missing from Yasmina Reza's otherwise dazzling acerbic comedy - but it's a biggie. Reza constructs a dinner party from hell, wherein a semi-happy couple (Helen Hunt and John Turturro) are surprised by the arrival of Hubert and Ines -- guests they didn't expect until the next evening. Henri bows and scrapes before Hubert (Brent Spiner), hoping the latter's connections will advance his scientific career, even as smarmy Hubert undermines his friend's emotional stability. The recriminations, infighting and intrigues between and among the couples alone is enough for one full-length play, but Reza treats Life (x) 3 as three one-acts, each commenting on the other. So she plays out the same scenario three times, each with different permutations (e.g., the first time, Henri is distraught that his essay may have been beaten to the punch by other researchers; the third time, he's barely phased by it yet brought to melancholy by other, more enigmatic, reasons).
Life (x) 3 is at its considerable best when focusing its microscope on the ways married couples can endlessly undermine and berate each other, yet still keep up appearances. Still, I'm not convinced Reza's three different versions of the same set-up have anything deeper to them than cleverness (as opposed to, say, the bitter ironies of "Rashomon"). Turturro's fun to watch, though too often over the top; Hunt has loveliness and charm to spare, though she lacks the steeliness Reza has written for her character.
