Main Cast: Christian Campbell, John Paul Pitoc, Tori Spelling, Steve Hayes, Kevin Chamberlin
Release Year: 1999
Country: US
Run Time: 90 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
A shy musical comedy composer searches in vain for someplace to bed down with a sexy go-go dancer in this sweet-natured romantic comedy set in Manhattan. College student Gabriel (Christian Campbell) wants to compose musical comedies; Katherine (Tori Spelling), his muse and confidante, wants to star in his productions. In the meantime, she's rehearsing an all-female version of Salomé set in a women's prison while he drowns his sorrows about a negative review at a tony strip club. On the way home from the bar, Gabriel notices Mark (Jean Paul Pitoc), one of the dancers from the club, catnapping in the subway. One mumble-mouthed come-on later, the men attempt to consummate their attraction to one another at Gabriel's tiny apartment, only to find themselves frustrated by pets, roommates, and a visit from Katherine. The couple's attempt to find a suitable boudoir leads them from one location to another; along the way, they discover that their attraction might extend beyond a single afternoon's ardor. Trick marked the feature debut of director Jim Fall, a New York University alumnus who had previously lensed such gay-themed shorts as Shanghai, He Touched Me, and Love Is Deaf, Dumb and Blind. Fall and first-time screenwriter Jason Schafer spent more than three years reworking his original script while raising half a million dollars to finance the film, which appeared at the Sundance and Berlin film festivals in 1999. Much of the publicity over the film centered on the heterosexuality of its two male romantic leads; despite such mild controversy, Trick became a modest art-house hit. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
Review
Knowing humor, appealing leads, and a solid screenplay elevate this slick, commercial gay comedy above the glut of similar movies that characterized the late-'90s independent film market. First-time screenwriter Jason Schafer fills his tale of obstructed libido and incipient romance with all the trappings of feel-good gay cinema, but he tweaks his clichés at every turn, either subverting them or pushing them hilariously over the top; from tongue-in-cheek musical numbers to drag queens who refuse to be cuddly to characters who aren't quite what they seem, Schafer has plenty of, well, tricks up his sleeve. Rookie producer/director Jim Fall, meanwhile, paces his film like a seasoned pro, translating his protagonists' mounting frustration into a sense of suspense worthy of a Hollywood action extravaganza. None of this would work, however, if it weren't for the uniformly strong performances. Christian Campbell, the older brother of Neve Campbell, invests the plaintive, show tune-loving Gabriel with a self-deprecating fastidiousness that's utterly dead-on. Tori Spelling, meanwhile, continues her credibility-building spree as Katherine, the Sally Bowles-esque sidekick to Campbell's timid character; from manic song-and-dance numbers to an emotional breakdown set in a greasy spoon, Spelling brandishes her comic timing like a deadly weapon and pokes holes in fag-hag truisms along the way. At first, stage vet Jean Paul Pitoc gets less to work with in the role of Mark, the well-muscled go-go boy who sets the plot in motion, but his cipher-like character reveals deeper layers as the film progresses. By the time we reach the movie's climax (in the plot if not the sexual sense), Mark stands revealed as that most mythical of creatures: the hottie with a heart of gold. Such a dénouement may mark Trick as an unrealistic trifle, but it's an unrealistic trifle of the highest order. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
Brad Beyer - Rich; Lorri Bagley - July; Kate Flannery
Credit
Gonzalo Cordoba - Art Director, Parish West - Boom Operator, Susan Shopmaker - Casting, Robin Carrigan - Choreography, Robert Hawk - Co-producer, Mary Gasser - Costume Designer, Darren Goldberg - First Assistant Director, Cecily Kaston - First Assistant Director, Liz Ip - First Assistant Director, Jim Fall - Director, Brian A. Kates - Editor, Mary Jane Skalski - Executive Producer, Mark Beigelman - Executive Producer, Anthony Bregman - Executive Producer, Joe Trapani - Hair Styles, Petra Hoebel - Location Manager, Per Melita - Line Producer, David Friedman - Composer (Music Score), Susan Reilly - Makeup, Jody Asnes - Production Designer, Terry Stacey - Cinematographer, Per Melita - Production Manager, Eric d'Arbeloff - Producer, Jim Fall - Producer, Ross Katz - Producer, Veronica Lynn - Singer, Stephen Altobello - Sound Editor, Jason Schafer - Screenwriter, Rachel Chancey - Sound Effects Editor, Brian A. Kates - Music Editor, Darlene Liebman - Production Coordinator, Roberto Fernandez - Re-Recording Mixer, Juliet Lofaro - Still Photographer, Tania Ribalow - Assistant Hair, Tania Ribalow - Assistant Makeup, Paul Kaye - Best Boy Electric, Nancy Cabrera - Foley Artist, Joe Trapani - Key Make-up, Stephen M. Evans III - Set Production Assistant, Edward Mercado - Set Production Assistant, Brian Elwell - Set Decorator, Stan Sztaba - Negative Cutter, Patricia Sztaba - Negative Cutter, Antonio L. Arroyo - Production Sound Mixer
The soundtrack to Trick, a romantic comedy about an aspiring musical writer and a go-go dancer, features songs like "I Am Woman" by Jesse Williams, "Dreamweaver" by Erin Hamilton, The Candyskins' "Somewhere Under London," Jeff Krassner's "Love'll Make Sense," and "Brand New Lover" by Bibiche. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
Dr. Shane Faber (Producer), Peter Rauhofer (Producer), Tracy McKnight (Executive Soundtrack Producer), Peter Rauhofer (Mixing), David Friedman (Vocal Arrangement), Keith Haarmeyer (Producer), Richard Hillman (Producer), Robert Peaco (Piano), Julian Marsh (Remixing), Rob Lorey (?), Johnny Vicious (Mixing), Alvin Crawford (?), Steve Hayes (Performer), Julian Marsh (Producer), Junior Vasquez (Remixing), Keith Haarmeyer (Remixing), Razor'N'Guido (Remastering), Erin Hamilton (Performer), David Friedman (Conductor), Kim Cooper (Performer), David Friedman (Producer), Trae Carlson (Producer), Eddie Montilla (Engineer), Christian Campbell (?), Valerie Pinkston (Performer), Dr. Shane Faber (Mixing), Joan Barber (?), Brett Henrichsen (Executive Producer), Scott Anderson (Producer), Darryl Strawser (Producer), Lance McVickar (Remixing), Jessica Williams (Performer), Michael Fossenkemper (Mastering), Bruce Moore (?), Kim English (Performer), David Friedman (Arranger), Tracy McKnight (Music Supervisor), Jeff Krassner (Performer), Lance McVickar (Engineer), Nick Martinelli (Producer), Razor'N'Guido (Mixing), Charles Barwick (Engineer), Tori Spelling (Performer), Billy Terrell (Executive Producer)
Trick is a 1999Americanindependentgay-themed romantic comedy directed by Jim Fall. Trick appeared at the Sundance and Berlin film festivals in 1999. Filming was completed in less than 3 weeks in August 1998.
Gabriel (Christian Campbell), an office temp by day and aspiring Broadway composer by night, becomes smitten with Mark (John Paul Pitoc), a Go-Go dancer in a gay bar with whom he makes eye contact. The two meet again in the subway that very night, and go back to Gabriel's place to have sex. They're thwarted in the attempt, however, first by Gabriel's aspiring actress friend Katherine (Tori Spelling), who is obsessed with her role in an adaptation of Salomé set in a women's prison, and then by Gabriel's roommate Rich (Brad Beyer), who returns home with his girlfriend Judy (Lorri Bagley), with similar (and conflicting) plans for the apartment.
Gabriel and Rich argue over which of them should get to use the apartment that night, and decide to settle the matter with a coin toss. When Gabriel loses the coin toss and he and Mark have to leave, Gabriel seeks out his friend Perry (Steve Hayes) to request the use of Perry's place. Unfortunately, as Perry escorts Gabriel and Mark there, they run into Perry's ex-boyfriend. Perry and his ex tearfully reconcile and they go back to Perry's, frustrating Gabriel and Mark yet again.
The two then decide to hit a gay club for some dancing. There, a malicious drag queen (Miss Coco Peru) corners Gabriel in the restroom. She badmouths Mark to Gabriel, telling him of the time they tricked – which sounds very much like how Gabriel and Mark met – and how Mark left abruptly after climaxing, leaving her with a fake phone number to boot. Crushed by this news, Gabriel decides to take off.
Mark follows Gabriel back to Gabe and Rich's apartment to talk – and also because he's left his house keys there. They go in to look for the keys and try to talk things out while Judy mediates topless. Mark asserts that while he did indeed trick once with Miss Coco, it was actually the latter who tried to take advantage of him by secretly videotaping their encounter without Mark's consent. Gabriel accepts this story but still doesn't trust Mark, so Mark angrily leaves. Judy then finds Mark's keys, and Gabriel chases after Mark with them down into the New York subway system. Just when it seems that Mark is gone forever, he reappears; he and Gabriel made a connection after all.
Having reconciled, they decide to get something to eat but – in yet another turn of events – run into Katherine and some of her theatre friends at a diner, where Katherine proceeds to monopolize the conversation. Gabriel finally blows up at her, and Katherine, humiliated, melts down and leaves in a huff. Gabriel chases after her and apologizes; they smooth things over and Katherine and Company depart.
As the new morning dawns, Mark gives Gabriel his phone number and heads home. Gabriel calls the number on a nearby payphone, and is relieved to learn that it's Mark's actual number. While they never found a spot to trick, Mark and Gabriel instead formed a budding relationship beyond the simple one-night-stand they'd first been trying for.
