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Trick or Treat
By Danny Brogan,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Trippy British thriller has swearing, violence, and drugs.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Trick or Treat
Community Reviews
Based on 2 parent reviews
11 and up
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my kid cried for 7 months wont regret
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What's the Story?
TRICK OR TREAT finds Greg Kielty (Craig Kelly) -- a father of a four-month-old daughter -- jobless, depressed, and missing his old carefree life. But when his brother Dan (Dean Lennox Kelly) knocks on his door in the middle of night saying he's hit someone with his car and has the body in his trunk, the exciting life Greg thought he longed for suddenly seems overrated.
Is It Any Good?
This film pulls you in so many different, unexpected directions, to call it just a crime thriller is an injustice. Trick or Treat certainly has the look and feel of British gangster movies like Guy Ritchie's Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch -- although the action here takes place in the seaside town of Blackpool. But a better comparison would be to David Fincher's The Game. Like that movie, nothing is quite what it seems. Set on Halloween, there's an overriding creepiness that adds to the mystery. It's also violent, but at the same funny. Add to that the exploration of masculinity and men's mental health and you can see why it's so difficult to pigeonhole it as a crime thriller.
The movie is led by real-life brothers, Craig and Dean Lennox Kelly, who play Greg and Dan Kielty respectively. Greg is a new father who is seemingly depressed and missing his former carefree life. It's to Kelly's credit that Greg remains sympathetic and relatable when he could just as easily come across as simply selfish and immature. For those familiar with British movies and TV, there are a number of cameos throughout. These are often fleeting, which only adds to the unsettling mood of the movie. There's the occasional plot hole, but given the whole movie feels like a dreamlike -- or nightmare -- sequence, they don't deter from a rollercoaster of a movie that will keep you guessing to the very end.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Trick or Treat. How did it make you feel? Was it thrilling or shocking? Are there any consequences? Why is that important?
Discuss the strong language in the movie. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
How are drinking and drug use portrayed? Are there consequences? Does it glamorize it?
The movie touches upon masculinity. Was Greg a sympathetic character? Would you like to see more movies where male mental health is portrayed?
Movie Details
- In theaters: October 25, 2019
- On DVD or streaming: June 1, 2020
- Cast: Craig Kelly , Dean Lennox Kelly , Frances Barber
- Director: Edward Boase
- Studio: Evolutionary Films
- Genre: Thriller
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters
- Run time: 84 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: June 20, 2023
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