Trick (1999 film)

For the 2019 horror film, see Trick (2019 film).

Trick
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Jim Fall
Written by	Jason Schafer
Produced by	Jim Fall Eric d'Arbeloff Ross Katz
Starring	Christian Campbell John Paul Pitoc Tori Spelling Lorri Bagley Brad Beyer Steve Hayes Clinton Leupp
Cinematography	Terry Stacey
Edited by	Brian A. Kates
Music by	David Friedman
Production companies	Good Machine Roadside Attractions
Distributed by	Fine Line Features
Release dates	January 27, 1999 (1999-01-27) (Sundance) July 23, 1999 (1999-07-23) (United States)
Running time	89 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$450,000
Box office	$2,087,228

Trick is a 1999 American gay-themed romantic comedy film directed by Jim Fall and starring Christian Campbell, John Paul Pitoc, Miss Coco Peru, and Tori Spelling. Independently produced by Eric d'Arbeloff, Ross Katz, and Fall, the film was written by Jason Schafer. Trick premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 1999 and was later released theatrically by Fine Line Features that July. The film grossed $2 million at the United States box office, which was seen by Fine Line Features as "credible business".

Since its release, the film has been considered a gay cult classic. It was later adapted as a stage musical in 2025, with book and lyrics by Schafer and music by Arthur LaFrentz Bacon.

Plot

Gabriel, an office temp by day and aspiring Broadway composer by night, makes eye contact with Mark, a go-go dancer at a gay bar. The two meet again in the subway the same night, and go back to Gabriel's place to have sex. They are thwarted in the attempt first by Gabriel's aspiring actress friend Katherine, 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 and has 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, 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 his and Rich's apartment to talk – and also because he has 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 does not trust Mark, so Mark leaves angrily. Judy then finds Mark's keys, and Gabriel chases after Mark with them down into the subway. 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 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 her friends depart. As the new morning dawns, Mark gives Gabriel his phone number, they kiss, and Mark 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 had first been trying for.

Cast

• Christian Campbell as Gabriel
• John Paul Pitoc as Mark Miranda
• Tori Spelling as Katherine Lamberg
• Brad Beyer as Rich
• Lorri Bagley as Judy
• Steve Hayes as Perry
• Lacey Kohl as Genevieve
• Kevin Chamberlin as Perry's ex
• Clinton Leupp as Miss Coco Peru
• Missi Pyle as Actress with flowers

Development

After college at UCLA, Schafer moved to New York City and attended the Broadcast Musical Inc. (BMI) writer's workshop, where he got the idea to write "Trick". Having written several musicals during college, Schafer initially wrote "Trick" as a musical called "Gay Boy". He showed the work to his friend, actor Anthony Rapp, who suggested that he write it as a movie, instead. An actor involved with the script reading contacted Jim Fall, who eventually directed the film.

Production

Independently produced, Trick was picked up for North American distribution by Fine Line Features soon after being screened at the Sundance Film Festival in January 1999. The "mid-six figure" deal guaranteed a theatrical release in at least three cities.

Filming was completed in less than three weeks in August 1998.

Critical reception

Roger Ebert wrote, "The movie imposes a Doris Day story line on material that wants to be more sexual; it’s about a character whose quasi-virginity is preserved through an improbable series of mishaps and coincidences." Janet Maslin of The New York Times commented, "Trick is a tenderhearted boy-meets-boy story that manages to incorporate the courtship-interruptus style of the Doris Day era into a Greenwich Village one-night stand."

In the years since its release, the film has been considered a gay cult classic.

Soundtrack

1. "Dream Weaver" (Gary Wright) – Erin Hamilton
2. "Unspeakable Joy" (Kim English; Maurice Joshua) – Kim English
3. "Brand New Lover" (Alfred Hochstrasser; J. Parzen; Michael Momm) – Bibiche
4. "I Am Woman (Razor N' Guido Mix)" (Helen Reddy; Ray Burton) – Jessica Williams
5. "Someone to Hold" (Harvey L. Frierson, Jr.; Veronica) – Veronica
6. "Drama" (Peter Rauhofer) – Kim Cooper
7. "Maybe (Love'll Make Sense to Me)" (Jeff Krassner; S. Faber) – Jeff Krassner
8. "Enter You" (Jason Schafer) – Tori Spelling
9. "¿Como Te Gusta Mi Pinga?" (A. Chapman) – Steve Hayes
10. "I Am Woman* (Dance Mix)" (Helen Reddy; Ray Burton) – Jessica Williams
11. "Trick of Fate/Enter You (Finale) [Instrumental]" (Jason Schafer)
12. "Trick of Fate" (David Friedman) – Valerie Pinkston

Awards

Year	Award	Festival	Category	Result
1999	Siegessäule Special Jury Teddy Award	Berlin International Film Festival	Feature film	Won
1999	Special Programming Committee Award	Outfest	Outstanding Emerging Talent – Jim Fall	Won
1999	Grand Jury Prize	Sundance Film Festival	Dramatic	Nominated
2000	Golden Satellite Award	4th Golden Satellite Awards	Best Supporting Actress – Musical or Comedy – Tori Spelling	Nominated

Sequel

In a December 2012 AfterElton.com interview, director Fall stated that he and writer Schafer were in the early stages of developing a sequel to Trick. Fall said the film would take place 12 years after the first one, with main characters Gabriel and Mark — not having stayed together because they were "not really right for each other" — meeting again and falling in love as grown men in their 40s.

Fall announced in a non-public social media post in August 2018 that script for the sequel was completed and the project was moving forward, with Coco Peru attached to co-star. Scheduled for release in 2019, the film will be set in Los Angeles. Fall subsequently told Out that Campbell, Pitoc, Spelling, Beyer and Hayes would be reprising their roles in Trick 2. Other cast members announced in September 2018 include Guillermo Diaz, Jimmy Fowlie, Tara Karsian, Arne Gjelten, Joe Arellano, and Elizabeth Regensburger-Gonzalez.

Musical adaptation

Development and debut

The film was adapted into a stage musical and debuted on May 1, 2025 at Out Front Theater Company in Atlanta, GA, with book and lyrics by Schafer, music by Arthur LaFrentz Bacon, and direction by Paul Conroy. The musical debuted as Out Front Theater's closing production of its 9th season, with a planned run until May 17.

Conroy, founder and producing artistic director of Out Front Theater Company, contacted Schafer near the end of 2021 expressing interest in adapting Trick as a stage musical. Conroy was seeking material that spotlighted positive and joyful queer content for audiences, hoping the positive content would be galvanizing and restorative in the face of political turmoil facing queer communities. Conroy thought emailing Schafer was a long-shot, but Schafer, who had been approached in the past about adapting the film into a musical, responded with interest after hearing Conroy's interest in uplifting positive stories for the local queer audience as part of Out Front Theater's mission. Following his agreement to adapt the film, Schafer and Conroy met up in New York to review drafts of the musical. Composer David Gurksy was initially involved with the production, but later left the project. Schafer later brought on Bacon, who wrote 15 new songs for the production. Conroy also arranged a private staged reading in Atlanta at Out Front Theater to allow the creative team to get the production ready.

The debut production starred Aavyn Lee as Gabriel, Will-Franklin Eller as Mark, Leah Keelan as Kathryn, Kayce Denise as Terri, Gabriel's musical workshop mentor, and featured local Atlanta drag queens Tugboat the Queen and Yutoya Avazé Leon trading off performances as the "Drag Superstar" role. Schafer, not wanting to mimic the role of Miss Coco Peru in the original film, which he found inimitable, wrote the role in the script as "Drag Superstar". His intention was for the role to be cast with a local drag performer, playing themselves, with small tailoring of the role to fit the performer. Dual casting also allowed cast members to play various additional roles in the production, notably with Chase Graham as Rich, Jahari Franklin as Kathyrn's stage manager Joe, and Jessica Hill as Judy.

Synopsis

Act I

Gabriel is a young temp aspiring to write his first musical. He reflects on his happiness living in New York City ("I Got a Place"), where he shares a studio apartment with his straight roommate Rich. Rich tells him that he needs the apartment for the entire night, because his girlfriend, Judy, will be returning from Europe for one night. Unable to protest, Gabriel meets up with his high school best friend and aspiring actress, Kathryn, who is set to debut that night in a local production of an all-female and nonbinary rendition of "Kiss Me, Kate", where she is the understudy for Gangster #2.

Together, they attend a musical workshop led by Gabriel's mentor, Terri, ("The Workshop Song") where he debuts the love song he's been working on, performing it with Kathryn ("Trick"). Terri and the workshoppers are underwhelmed. Terri, newly single and bitter, suggests that it does not feel authentic, and encourages Gabriel to write what's in his heart. She asks him what he felt when he received a kiss like the one in his song, but Gabriel says that he doesn't know. Terri consoles him by inviting him and Kathryn to the local piano bar, but he declines, as he must attend Kathryn's opening night ("I Got a Place (Reprise)").

With some time to spare, Gabriel goes to a gay bar, where he feels insecure (“Gabriel at a Gay Bar”). He bumps into the attractive Mark, who asks if he wants to hook up, but Gabriel explains that he can't host. Mark is also unable to host, but convinces Gabriel that they can hook up in the few hours before Rich returns (“Hot Summer Night”). They arrive at Gabriel's apartment to find Kathryn there cleaning and hanging out before her show's debut. Kathryn, not getting the hint, proceeds to espouse Gabriel's songwriting talent to Mark as the boys awkwardly sit together (“Original Song by Gabe”). Gabriel finally kicks Kathryn out, but promises to attend her show. The two strip down to have sex, but as they begin to talk, Mark, intrigued, asks Gabriel to sing one of the songs he's written. Embarrassed, Gabriel complies (“Love Song for My Future Boyfriend”). Rich returns early with Judy and kicks them out.

At the piano bar, Terri, dejected, reminisces about her ex-girlfriend moving out (“Cash-Only Sing-Along Piano Bar”). Gabriel finds her and asks if he can use her empty apartment, for the sake of "research" for his song. Terri agrees, but encounters her ex. With the boys' help, she and her girlfriend reconcile and the boys let them use the apartment instead. With no options, the boys plan to part ways and Mark offers to walk Gabriel to the station (“Lemme Walk You to the Train”). As they do, Mark explains that he lives with his extended family, and that he often likes riding the train to catch the sunrise. He has a last minute idea for them to go dancing at a gay bar he frequents. Gabriel is unsure, but relents, texting Kathryn that he won't make it to her show.

Unfortunately, the bar is featuring a local drag queen, who spots Mark. The drag queen proceeds to tell the audience that Mark used to be one of her dancers, but left after sleeping with all of her crew, humiliating Mark, and implying his interest is Gabriel is superficial. Before he can explain, Gabriel runs off, and Mark is prevented from following him by the drag queen and her backup dancers (“Dance Floor”).

Act II

Kathryn is upset to see Gabriel's text, but learns that she will be going onstage as Gangster #2. She is excited for her "big break" and channels her anger at Gabriel into her performance (“Nobody’s Understudy”). Gabriel tries to catch Kathryn's show, but it is sold out and the manager, Joe, refuses to let him in. Dejected, Gabriel leaves (“I Got a Place (Reprise)”). The drag queen sings a song to the audience expressing the folly of love (“Up With Love”).

Gabriel bumps into Mark, who is waiting on his street. He tells him to leave, but Mark says he can't because he left his keys in Gabriel's apartment. They interrupt Rich and Judy having sex, and Rich angrily tells them they have until he's out of the shower. Judy, aspiring to be a sex counselor, tries to help the boys communicate as they search. Gabriel is exasperated and calls the night a waste of time. Mark is hurt, and tells him that he actually had a good time with Gabriel. He reveals that he had his keys the whole time, and only wanted to spend more time with him, before leaving (“Like All the Times Before”). Judy is put off by Rich's boorishness and leaves him, and Gabriel leaves as well.

Gabriel meets up with Terri to inform her that he plans to quit musical theater, since he clearly knows nothing about love after messing up the night with Mark. Terri and the workshoppers tell him that he still has the whole rest of the night in front of him, and that anything could change, just like how he and Mark changed her relationship in an instant (“What Half a Night Can Do”). Gabriel runs into Kathryn, whose performance was a hit, and is on her way to the cast party. They reconcile, and Kathryn gets him two comp tickets for tomorrow night with Mark, and reassures him that his music can make anyone fall in love with him (“Original Song by Gabe (Reprise)”. Gabriel decides to give love a shot and resolves to figure things out (“Love Song for My Future Boyfriend (Reprise)”). He waits at the train station, knowing Mark will eventually arrive to catch the sunrise. The two reconcile, realizing that the pressure of sex was messing things up. They kiss and decide to first go on a date together tomorrow and try again (“Maybe This is Better”). Gabriel resolves to write something more authentic, inspired by the night they've had, and the show ends with a big celebratory finale with the entire company ("Finale").

Characters

Character		Description	Notes
Gabriel		A temp and aspiring musical writer
Mark		A nursing student and former go-go dancer
Kathryn		An aspiring actress and Gabriel's high school friend
Terri		Leader of the musical workshop and Gabriel's mentor, who is newly single
"Drag Superstar"		A drag performer with a sordid past involvement with Mark	Intended to be performed and named after a local drag performer cast in the role
Rich		Gabriel's straight roommate
Judy		Rich's girlfriend and aspiring sex counselor
Joe		Kathryn's stage manager

Casts

Casts

Character	World Premier (Atlanta)
	2025
Gabriel	Aavyn Lee
Mark	Will-Franklin Eller
Kathryn	Leah Keelan
Terri	Kayce Denise
"Drag Superstar"	Tugboat the Queen & Yutoya Avazé Leon (dual cast in alternating performances as themselves)
Rich/Backup Boy "Crinklecut"/Workshopper	Chase Graham
Judy/Terri's Ex/Gabriel's Boss/Bartender/Deejay/Workshopper	Jessica Hill
Joe/Backup Boy "Mt. Vesuvias"/Workshopper	Jahari Franklin

Musical numbers

Atlanta Run

Act I "I Got a Place" — Gabriel "The Workshop Song" — Terri, Gabriel, Kathryn, & Workshoppers "Trick" — Kathryn & Gabriel "I Got a Place (Reprise)" — Gabriel "Gabriel at a Gay Bar" — Gabriel "Hot Summer Night" — Mark, Gabriel, Go-Go Boys, & Bartender "Original Song by Gabe" — Kathryn "Love Song for My Future Boyfriend" — Gabriel "Cash-Only Sing-Along Piano Bar" — Terri "Lemme Walk You to the Train" — Gabriel & Mark "Dance Floor" — Drag Superstar, Deejay, & Backup Boys

Act II "Nobody’s Understudy" — Kathryn "I Got a Place (Reprise)" — Gabriel "Up With Love" — Drag Superstar "Like All the Times Before — Mark "What Half a Night Can Do" — Terri, Gabriel, & Workshoppers "Original Song by Gabe (Reprise)" — Kathryn "Love Song for My Future Boyfriend (Reprise)" — Gabriel "Maybe This is Better" — Gabriel & Mark Finale — Company

Critical response

Sammie Purcell, writing for Rough Draft Atlanta, gave the production a positive review, stating, "[W]hat the musical lacks in scale, it makes up for in energy. Bacon’s mix of musical theater/pop works well for a story like this, with some genuinely great stand-out songs in the bunch, and the cast sells this quirky queer love story with genuine heart and humor." She cited Kayce Denies as Terri and Leah Keelan as Kathryn as particular standouts.

External links

• Trick at IMDb 
• Trick at Box Office Mojo
• Trick at Rotten Tomatoes
• New Line Cinema: Trick at the Wayback Machine (archived May 14, 2008)
• MSN Entertainment
• Awards (Spanish)