New Zealand journalist David Farrier writes a column about the 'weird and bizarre side of life' he finds on the Internet. Coming across a video about a tickling sport – men being tickled by other men – he reckons this will make for an interesting article and contacts those responsible. The response is an odd one: Farrier is told that they will not be engaging in any interview with a homosexual journalist and throw other homophobic barbs at him. Hmm, thinks Farrier – this is odd since this tickling sport is the least hetero thing he's seen in some time. He decides to investigate further… and finds out some strange goings on.
Like Catfish before it, Tickled is an odd investigative documentary that takes the viewer to unexpected places with more than a few twists and turns in the journey. Although threatened with legal action not to continue with their investigation, Farrier and Reeve decide to fly to America to find out why there was such an aggressive response and do what they can to locate a small number of participants in the videos. Many many more have refused to participate out of genuine fear. Just what the hell is going on? Who are these people?
It turns out that those behind the tickling video empire have deep pockets and are tech-savvy; those who have spoken out about their treatment, and those who have refused to participate further, have experienced the full implications for their decisions: their bosses have been contacted, lies spread about them, and have been hit with lawsuits, etc. One, a formerly aspiring footballer, found that in some interviews he was asked about the videos of him being tickled on the Internet. Scary stuff. This air of uneasiness is mixed with humour throughout, with the directors concentrating on the Big Story but also branching out into a Louis Thereoux-esque investigation of the outré (one independent tickler talking about methods and techniques).
As kooky and fascinating as it is, Tickled feels unfinished. As the directors get closer and closer to the source, the Big Scene we're all waiting for doesn't have the impact the build-up promised. Things are left unsettled and up in the air. Perhaps if Farrier and Reeve didn't rush to release, something else might have turned up and there might have been a more commanding finale. But as it stands Tickled just peters out.
