"Heartbreaker" by Paul Gertner
Suggested Retail USD$30.00
Available direct from Paul Gertner
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

"Heartbreaker", a new effect by Paul Gertner, is, simply, a work of art. Packed with emotional dynamite, wrapped up in great and visual magic, and sealed with a bit of mentalism, "Heartbreaker" is all you could hope for from a magic "trick" and so much more.

I live and die with this kind of magic, so "Heartbreaker" was already on my "must-have" list. There's too little of this emotional, grab-'em-by-their-goodies magic out there. And when something comes along that sounds like it'll fill the bill, I get interested fast. When it has a name on it like Gertner's, I can pretty much promise it's going straight into action as soon as it's in my hot little hands. And such has been my experience with "Heartbreaker".

There's a lot going on with this one; to catch the flavor of the routine, you should really take a look at the demo video. Essentially, though, the routine is a transposition. A heart is drawn on the face of a playing card. The spectator's initials are written in the middle of this heart along with a little plus sign. This is given to the spectator to hold. On another card, the initials of the spectator's childhood sweetheart or other loved one is written, this time inside a heart that is drawn as broken. With a slight magical gesture, the broken heart is "healed" as the initials there vanish only to appear on the card the spectator is holding, inside the heart.

Now, if you can't see the power in this one from that description or the demo, then pass this one by. It's just not your style -- no offense -- and you won't like it much when you get it or do it much at all. No harm, no foul; that's the way things break sometimes. I hear there's a really great new trick coming out next month you'll probably like better.

But if you read that, and your mind instantly jumped to visualizing the emotional impact this has on people -- the laughter, the giggles, the silence, and, yes, the tears -- then stop reading this right now. Go get "Heartbreaker". You'll love it and be happy with it and it'll make your reputation.

Seriously. You're wasting time. There's not much else to read here. Go. Get. It.

Still here? Well, let's look at the details then.

First, this is as practical as it gets. You add a couple of gaffs into a regular deck of Bikes and you're ready to go. You burn up two of these each performance, and extras are available from Gertner's website for about $10, but you could make your own as well. The set-up is simple and quick, as is the reset, and the deck is normal otherwise.

Second, as to the working, we're talking basic sleights here -- really basic sleights -- so you can forget working your fingers to the bone and concentrate on your presentational skills. Gertner did a masterful job of routining things here: the presentation really pretty much takes care of itself. Everything is just so blastedly normal when it comes to the verbal component here, you'll find yourself not working all that hard on the presentation, either; the theme and the visuals will take care of most of it for you.

Third, Gertner should get an award for his instructions here. Supplied on a professionally-shot DVD, Gertner not only covers the basics of the workings, but also all the little presentational touches that make this work so well, then goes into bonus territory by offering different handlings and ideas. It's rare to see a instructional video for a trick to be so thorough and yet be so concise. My hat's off to Gertner for his work here.

But then I've pretty much been giving him standing ovations since I first performed this one. For ages I've been contemplating a "Anniversary Waltz" type of effect I could do for a single person. Nothing I thought of, nothing I could ever think of, approaches the power of "Heartbreaker". This is one I do and do often and with all the good reasons in the world.

When it comes to "Heartbreaker" and whether it's right for you or not, all you have to do is think of the impact on the spectator. If you want to reach into a spectator and evoke memories that leave a mark, sweet or bitter-sweet, then you have to give this one a shot. If you don't, you shouldn't.

Like the trick itself, the decision is as simple as that.

"Heartbreaker" by Paul Gertner
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

Practicality: 10
Throw a couple of gaffs into a regular deck and you're ready to go; it doesn't get much more practical than that. The routine requires nothing more than basic (really, really basic) card sleights. You'll burn through two of the gaffs each performance (you're given enough for twenty-six performances, after that more can be bought or made yourself). All in all, this is as practical as it gets.

Workmanship: 10
The gaffs are beautifully made; they'll get the job done perfectly.

Documentation: 10
The documentation is supplied on DVD and it's wonderfully produced. More, Gertner again proves his skills as an instructor, doing the perfect job that others should emulate.

Effect: 10
This plays so strong, both theatrically and magically, that there aren't enough words to describe the reactions. I've had screams, laughs, shocked silence, and -- yes -- the odd tear or two. This is beautiful.

Presentation: 10
Gertner has produced something here that is truly a work of art. Yes, it moves so folks with the whole theme, but more than that Gertner has effortless blended mentalism and magic into a cohesive whole that draws that reaction out just as effortlessly. Yeah, we can call this "art".



Shane

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