Trick (film)

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Trick
Directed by Jim Fall
Produced by Eric d'Arbeloff
Jim Fall
Ross Katz
Written by Jason Schafer
Starring Christian Campbell
John Paul Pitoc
Tori Spelling
Steve Hayes
Kevin Chamberlin
Miss Coco Peru
Lorri Bagley
Distributed by New Line Home Entertainment
Release date(s) January 27, 1999 (Sundance Film Festival, US)
Running time 86 minutes
Country Flag of the United States United States
Language English
Budget $450,000
Official website
IMDb profile

Trick is a 1999 American independent gay-themed romantic comedy directed by Jim Fall.

[edit] Plot summary

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 he makes eye contact with. 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, who returns home with his girlfriend Judy, 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 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 (Lorri Bagley) 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 mistrusts Mark, so Mark 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.

Trick appeared at the Sundance and Berlin film festivals in 1999.

[edit] Awards

Year Result Award Festival Category
1999 Winner Reader Jury of the "Siegessäule" Berlin International Film Festival Teddy Award  
1999 Winner Special Programming Committee Award Outfest Outstanding Emerging Talent - Jim Fall
1999 Nomination Grand Jury Prize Sundance Film Festival Dramatic
2000 Nomination Golden Satellite Award Satellite Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Comedy or Musical - Tori Spelling

[edit] External links