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Netherlands · 2012
55m
Director Paul Verhoeven
Starring Peter Blok, Gaite Jansen, Robert de Hoog, Sallie Harmsen
Genre Comedy, Drama
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In this film directed by Paul Verhoeven and created as part of a crowdsourced film contest -- where both the script and an alternate version of the film were created by regular people -- a man faces crisis at his 50th birthday party when his mistress shows up pregnant as his business partners plot to betray him.
One could say I’m more appreciative of its narrative economy than economic narrative, yet the numerous betrayals, bevy of sleazy characters, corporate intrigue, and sexual cat-and-mouse games — all things that could strike one as appreciably light if taken merely as genre tenets played in a soft key — are underwhelming in light of the fact that Verhoeven made all of these iconic decades ago.
The New York Times by Ben Kenigsberg
As ever, the paradox of Mr. Verhoeven’s style is that it seems to wallow in tastelessness and transgression even as he remains one of the most classical movie craftsmen.
Contextualized by the documentary, the movie amounts to an enticing narrative experiment even when it doesn't quite hold together.
The A.V. Club by Ignatiy Vishnevetsky
The fundamental problem is that Tricked is more mildly amusing than funny, and most of said amusement comes from the pacing, which is one uninterrupted sprint.
Discerning Verhoeven’s hand in it all is difficult, though true to the helmer’s more intimate style, it largely revolves around sex, and has a few fun plot twists.
It’s kind of a blast, with fully enough plot to fill a two-hour feature crammed efficiently into less than half that time in a manner that demands nothing from you except that you enjoy the ride.
The Hollywood Reporter by Jordan Mintzer
Gimmicks aside, this decently acted and paced effort shows that the 74-year-old auteur can still be marginally transgressive, if not entirely original.
Village Voice by Michael Atkinson
As filmmaking it's drearily anonymous — proof, if we needed it, that writing a screenplay via referendum is not a great idea.
Slant Magazine by Nick McCarthy
Nothing more than an absurdist soap-opera bauble.
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