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Trick (1999)

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117 comments in total

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16 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
Boy meets boy. Oh boy!, 18 June 2001

Author: budmassey (cyberbarrister@gmail.com) from Indianapolis, IN

It's hard to imagine a gay themed film where the main characters aren't drag queens, don't have AIDS, aren't bitchy, catty, flamboyant, tragic or shallow. As it turns out, gay people, like non-gay people, can be all those things (and aren't we all tired of it) and so much more. In fact, the most distinguishing characteristic of gay people is that, for the most part, they are virtually indistinguishable from non-gay people. Isn't it about time a movie just allowed its central gay characters to be a couple of cute young guys whose casual meeting teeters over the course of a hilariously frustrating evening on the verge of becoming more than a one night stand?

Gabriel, played by Christian Campbell, Neve Campbell's older brother, is a shy, aspiring composer with dimples to die for. Mark, J. P. Pitoc, is an outgoing journalism student who earns money as a go-go boy and has the body to prove it. Pitoc and Campbell, who appear together again in the "Thank You, Good Night", gel beautifully as the put-upon would-be lovers. In a world where meeting and having sex can be a rather common and often all too impersonal event, they meet, and like most people their age, they want to have sex. But the story that gently unfolds is not at all common. It's tender, funny, and much more romantic than it sounds.

Tori Spelling, it hurts me to even write this, is terrific as Gabriel's oh-so theatrical friend. She maintains a drama in her life that can be endearing, but is often times more annoying, the latter which Ms. Spelling portrays with great comic success.

The rest of the cast is fairly unremarkable, with two notable exceptions. Steve Hayes is brilliant as a friend from Gabriel's theatre class whose hilarious "Como te gusta mi pinga" is the funniest cabaret number since Priscilla. Clinton Leupp as drag queen Coco Peru, delivers a delightful bathroom soliloquy that will have you in stitches. Even more amusing is the fact that Miss Coco looks distractingly like Ms. Spelling's character, right down to the overabundance of drama.

Trick is an uplifting and life-affirming look at being young and gay and almost in love. Surely you were at least one of these things once.

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20 out of 26 people found the following comment useful :-
Sweet and Sly Gay Romantic Comedy, 25 July 1999
Author: ripper2

Did I see the same movie as some of the other folks who have posted reviews for "Trick"? My lover and I just watched this last night in New York City, with a predominantly gay audience, and we found it a delightful, unpretentious little comedy.

For starters, this is a "romantic comedy", making full use of all the cliches and conventions of the genre (i.e., our lovers "meet cute" on the subway and endless complications keep them apart). None of this is new, but when I see people complain about these plot devices I wonder just how many movies these people have ever seen? All this groundwork was laid down long, long ago in the silent era and certainly in the golden age of "screwball comedy" in the '30s. So, the idea today is to see how well a filmmaker uses these conventions, not to wonder why none of this isn't terribly original! In the case of "Trick", these rules of film comedy are applied very well.

This film is also, obviously, a "comedy of frustration" in that our two lovers want each other but can't have each other. Events and people conspire against them. Again, none of this is terribly original, but it is well played and diverting. I especially enjoyed the absence of any stupid "heart-felt", sentimental and unmotivated moments that mar so many contemporary Hollywood movies. For instance, the relationship between Gabriel (Christian Campbell) and his best gal pal (Tori Spelling) was quite realistic. She was a difficult-to-get-along with old friend, the kind you find hard to move on from. And the relationship (dating, we are told, from high school days) was convincingly complicated. Yes, she was self-centered, neurotic, even ridiculous. But, then some women are (as are some men). This is misogynistic? What, was she supposed to be some drippy, supportive, self-effacing female saint of a best friend offering her shoulder for Christian to cry on? I liked her better as played by Tori Spelling. Incidentally, Spelling has a marvelous scene of hysteria when she goes off in the diner about the cheese fries!

The acting in this film was uniformly good, and quite high level for an independent film. Far from being a "numb skull", I thought J.P. Pitoc gave the go-go boy character real depth and sympathy. He was beautifully subtle in the first scene in Gabriel's apartment when you can see his interest in Gabriel come alive beyond a casual sexual attraction. This deepening flicker of interest easily explains Mark's staying around through a frustrating evening: he sensed there is more to Gabriel and he wants to find out what. Made perfect sense to me. Also (duh!) if he didn't stick around we would have no plot!

The drag queen (Clinton Leupp) has a very funny monologue, also. His presence in this film was perfectly logical: they are in a gay dance club in Manhattan for gosh sakes! Drag queens do hang out in such places! Further, his entrance into the men's room is also well set-up; he sees Gabriel dancing with Mark and follows him into the john to give him some dirt. Motivation: jealousy! I cannot understand anyone faulting the screenplay on this note.

All-in-all, this is a slight, but very entertaining little film that tugs at the heartstrings a bit. And it certainly is a crowd pleaser! To hear a jaded NYC audience hooting and hollaring at any comedy was refreshing. "Trick" is a carefree delight!

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11 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
Awesome!, 26 April 2003

Author: Stepen from Southgate, Michigan

I saw this in the theater and bought it as soon as it was available for home purchase. Tori Spelling plays an excellent campy character and the love interest in this story is played beautifully by John Paul Pitoc who while in real life is straight did one of the best acting jobs for this genre since Nick Scotti in Kiss me Guido. If you like laughter, love and want to feel great at the end of a film this is a must have to watch.

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11 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
This is beautiful!, 2 November 2001
Author: m67165

I was a little wary of a movie about two guys trying to find a place in New York city where they can be alone and have some sex. A comedy? I thought it could be very boring. I'm so glad I went to see this one! It is funny and romantic, and it ends in a smart way, and I can only say: Thank you, guys! That was fun!

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11 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
The sweetest movie, hands down, that I have ever seen., 16 October 2001

Author: gmscny (gmscny@hotmail.com) from New York

As soon as you finish watching it, you'll want to rewind it and watch it again. The sweetest, most refreshing movie I have seen. Something about it (maybe the thoroughly funny and romantic love story) leaves with the greatest feeling in the world. And I go around for hours after I've watched it singing "Enter You". Funny, engaging, sweet, romantic, and (I know it's the same word the critics used, but they were absolutely right) magical!

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10 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
Sparkling romantic comedy is a sure-fire hit, 6 February 1999

Author: Boyd Petrie (fargout@gmail.com) from Salt Lake City, Utah

Gay romantic comedies seem to fall into two different categories: either they deal with AIDS specifically, or they don't. TRICK falls into the latter category. Films in the former category tend to be too heavy-handed to be good (save JEFFREY and LOVE! VALOUR! COMPASSION!). Here, screenwriter Jason Schafer focuses not on AIDS whatsoever. In fact, it is never mentioned once. Instead, we watch as two men (wonderfully played by Christian Campbell and John Paul Pitoc) try to have a one-night stand. The only problem: they have no place to go. As these two men desperately try to find a room, fate interferes, allowing them to get to know each other before consumating the relationship. Tori Spelling is terrific in a supporting role, but it is the two leads who must manage this film, and they do with astonishing realism. It's a modern-day, gay fairy tale. It's the type of film that makes you laugh, cry, and feel good in the end. Hollywood could learn something from this small independent feature.

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9 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
AWESOME ADVENTURE, 30 July 2003

Author: (wabbit2002) from Toronto, ON

One of the best movies I've ever seen - a real life experience between two people wanting each other and want to be alone without sex and nudity really being needed to tell a real life adventure. The way Gabriel and Mark noticed one another at a strip club and in a subway car was beautifully done. Gabriel wanting to look at Mark sleeping in the subway car was spotted by a woman watching him watching Mark - Gabriel's eyes slowly looking back at Mark was so beautiful and sad and funny one of the best scenes in the movie. To Christian Campbell who plays Gabriel, John Paul Pitoc who plays Mark and the production crew for "Trick", THANK YOU.

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9 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
All-American boy meets stud-hunk, 25 July 1999

Author: Matthew Ignoffo (mermatt@webtv.net) from Eatontown, NJ, USA

After a leisurely start, we get some great comic sequences. My favorites are ones I'd call "intimate piano," "drag queen fury," and "coffee shop confrontation."

Like other recent gay-themed films such as BEAUTIFUL THING, OBJECT OF MY AFFECTION, EDGE OF SEVENTEEN, and GET REAL, this film is very personal and doesn't get caught up in homophobia or AIDS. It doesn't even give us coming-out angst. It is just a sweet, old fashioned romance but with gay characters.

I highly recommend this film. It may become a mainstream charmer. I certainly hope so.

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5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
A touching, acutely well observed 'romance', 25 June 2002

Author: Greg Redwood from London UK

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Contains some mild spoilers

This is a brilliantly observed romance, with some great performances (even by Tori Spelling). A big part of it is about the two main characters getting to know (and like) each other, and Gabriel realising that he's misjudged Mark just because he's a go-go boy. This is cleverly done, following a line of 'don't judge people by their appearances', and Gabriel's realisations are projected onto the audience in a very effective manner- just because Mark dances half naked on a bar for money, it doesn't mean he's not intelligent or romantically inclined/trustworthy. JP Pitoc is superb as Mark, and has some of the best lines in the film, my favorite being in the late night restaurant where he answers Tori Spelling's denial of being a Lesbian in a very eloquent way, which surprises everyone (and the audience too).

Well worth going to see, or getting on DVD if you're keen on the genre. All my straight friends have enjoyed it, so it should appeal to a wide audience.

And besides, its worth watching just to lust over JP Pitoc.

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6 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Trick or treat, 3 February 2004

Author: jotix100 from New York

Not having seen the film when it was originally released, I caught up with it on IFC. The film is surprisingly light, as the director, Jim Fall, has avoided the usual cliches when dealing with the subject matter.

Mr. Fall was very lucky to find this cast, indeed. The three principals, Tori Spelling, Christian Campbell and John Paul Pitoc play very well together. It's a fun film to watch anytime at all. All types of audiences will enjoy this tale of romance, missed opportunities, and fulfilling a dream.

All this, and N.Y.'s Greenwich Village in the background, who could ask for anything more?

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