Trick 'r Treat

Trick 'r Treat has quietly become one of the more dependable comedies currently available in the US on Netflix. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. Its 7/10 TMDB score, built from 2,089 ratings, reflects a title that consistently delivers. Brian Cox sets the tone, and the rest of the cast matches it scene for scene. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Netflix.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Trick 'r Treat is worth clearing space for. The jokes in Trick 'r Treat land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. Four interwoven stories that occur on Halloween: an everyday high school principal has a secret life as a serial killer; a college virgin might have just met the one guy for her; a group of teenagers pull a mean prank, and a bitter old recluse receives an uninvited guest. Brian Cox and Quinn Lord lead a cast with the timing to make it work. It was released in 2007. The timing in Trick 'r Treat is precise enough that even the throwaway lines land on a second watch. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Trick 'r Treat is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Brian Cox's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.