Lucybespro It is a performances centric movie

Forumrxes Yo, there's no way for me to review this film without saying, take your *insert ethnicity + "ass" here* to see this film,like now. You have to see it in order to know what you're really messing with.

Zandra The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Marva It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Woodyanders Shrewd black veteran "Blue" Howard (a fine performance by Mel Stewart) and his equally wily mulatto young protégé Johnny "White Folks" O'Brien (an excellent portrayal by Kiel Martin) are a couple of ace con men who have just pulled off the biggest scam of their lives. However, Blue and Folks have to evade both brutal corrupt cop Dot Murray (a first-rate turn by Dallas Edward Hayes) and several vengeful mobsters while sweating out 24 hours in order to pick up their money. Director Larry Yust, who also co-wrote the crafty and involving script with A. Neuberg and T. Raewyn, does a commendable job of adapting Iceberg Slim's novel: Yust makes terrific use of the authentically gritty Philadelphia locations, relates the gripping story at a brisk pace, but still manages to spend some time developing the sharply drawn characters, maintains a tough, hard-edged tone throughout, sprinkles the barbed dialogue with plenty of appropriately rough and profane language, and delivers a few exciting action set pieces in the lively and suspenseful last third (a lengthy foot chase rates as the definite rousing highlight). The sound acting from the able cast helps a lot: Stewart and Martin display a believable and engaging chemistry in the leads, with solid support from Beverly Ballard as sweet mark Susan, Vernee Watson-Johnson as Blue's foxy and unfaithful wife Cleo, and Ted Lange as Melvin the Pimp. Isidore Mankofsky's cinematography vividly captures the sordid urban environment. James Bond's funky score hits the get-down groovy spot. The surprise bummer ending packs a devastating punch. Recommended viewing.

Michael_Elliott Trick Baby (1972) ** 1/2 (out of 4)Minor blaxploitation movie about black man "Blue" Howard (Mel Stewart) and white man "Folks" O'Brien (Kiel Martin), a couple con men who work well together because of their different race. Blue has been teaching Folks the business from an early age and both are onto a major score but soon they have a dirty cop and the mob on them. Those expecting exploitation might walk away disappointed because this film is more drama than anything else. While watching the film you might be thinking of THE STING but it's important to note that this movie did come first but don't expect the same type of quality. I think the biggest problem with this movie was the screenplay that just doesn't do enough for the actual sting. The first scam the guys pull is a pretty nice one but the main one just didn't draw my attention too much. The screenplay didn't seem to know what direction it wanted to go into and we get a couple side stories that are never really explored and this includes a female that Folks hooks up with and she pretty much becomes obsessed with him in a weird scene inside a hotel room. I'm still trying to figure out how and why she got so obsessed with him but that's just something that was never explained. Blue also has a relationship going on but it adds up to very little. What makes the film worth viewing are the two lead actors. Neither man got to play the lead too often in their careers but both take the opportunity and run with it. Most will remember Stewart as Henry Jefferson in ALL IN THE FAMILY and he turns in a wonderful performance here. I thought he was quite charming and really played that wiser old guy perfectly. Martin also turned in a very good performance and the two really do work magic together as you believe they're really intelligent enough to pull this stuff off and we believe that they know what to work with each other. The film has the unique situation of Folks being half-black but he looks so white that no one believes it. The way the race tensions are shown here are pretty interesting and added a few nice situations. TRICK BABY is one of those films that contains some very good things but at the same time you can't help but wish you had enjoyed it more.

MartinHafer While this movie is set mostly in the Black neighborhoods of Philadelphia, many of the Whites are quite prejudiced and many of the actors are Black, this really isn't a blaxploitation film--though Netflix has categorized it that way on its web site. Instead, it's like a more modern version of THE STING with a multiracial cast.Mel Stewart ("Henry Jefferson" from ALL IN THE FAMILY) and Kiel Martin star as con-men who swindle the wrong man. The old guy they cheat out of $10,000 suffers a fatal heart attack when he realizes he was swindled AND he's the uncle of a mob boss--who now has ordered the deaths of these cons. However, unlike THE STING, there is some rough language, nudity and a very, very downbeat ending. I enjoyed the film and appreciated seeing these two lesser name actors getting a chance to play leads, but hate seeing it branded with the label "blaxploitation" because many take this to mean that the film is cheap and formulaic--which it certainly isn't. Hardly a great film, it is still well worth a look for an interesting story.

manuel-pestalozzi Frankly, this film bowled me over. Do not think of blaxploitation but of one of David Mamet's better movies or Federico Fellini's "Il Bidone". It is perfect in every sense of the word. A good, concise story, thrilling from the first second to the tragic ending, unforgettable dialogue, artful location shooting in Philadelphia, interesting editing, fabulous performances by largely unknown actors and a character that should enter the annals of great screen heroes: The hustler and compulsive liar Blue Howard, brilliantly played by Mel Stewart (actors got Oscar nominated for less).Trick Baby starts with a beautifully minimalistic setting - a stage really for a con trick: In a dreary hotel room that has seen better days, Blue, an elderly African American, prepares the setting (screwing off light bulbs, distributing full ash trays). Then he receives his young partner White Folks ("he ain't white, he just looks it", insists Blue) who accompanies an old white man. Blue plays the part of a hard pressured hustler who has some stones to sell, White Folks the part of the tough guy representing a possible buyer, keeping the price low by menacing behaviour. The old white man falls for it and buys the stones - actually junk - for 10000 dollars.Luck begins to change soon after that, and Blue and White Folks have to use their talents to keep alive. This does not prevent them from pulling a few con tricks in between. It is convincingly shown that they are actually addicted to it and instinctively spot a good opportunity every other minute. Lying by telling stories that are untrue is presented as an art form and as a strategy to get some meaning out of life. This is done in a moving way and less sarcastically than Mamet usually does. Blue does not hesitate to tell a preacher spontaneously an elaborate story about a fugitive from Down South he has to rescue in order to get the preacher's help - and you can observe how the desparate Blue draws life force from his very telling this lie (you need a lot of acting talent to convey this).Although Blue and White Folks operate as a pair, Blue is the main character of Trick Baby. He is the leader of the team. He shows fatherly feelings towards his young partner who Blues claims is the son of a black mother. Blue feels responsible for White Folks when things turn ugly. It is Blue who tries to rescue White Folks who got wounded. He cons himself into an optimistic mood up to the tragic end of the movie and does not give up until his heart stops beating - which makes Blue Howard a hero in a twisted sort of way.