The Trip

I could watch Steve and Rob do impressions for hours while pretty much acting as themselves. What made this great was that I had no idea what to expect going in and what a lovely surprise this was. Now I need to make time to watch the sequels.

The Trip is a trip. It is a hilarious talkie-talk film made for an intelligently critical, foodie-obsessed, British humor-junkie like me!

I admit/know that many WILL hate watching this film about two British comedians (Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon playing "loose" versions of themselves by reprising their "characters" from the earlier film Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story) driving around the North Country (of England) eating in pubs and fine-dining restaurants while making fun of wine, food and culture snobs with little witticisms, bon mots and uncanny impersonations of some of Britian's top exports. There is also a lot of film and pop culture references to go along with the literary history thrown-about as the pair trek the highlands of some of Britian's late-greats (poets, writers, historians) and explore castles, manors and northern Moors.

The "story" is that Coogan has been tasked by The Observer (a British magazine) to travel the northern portions of England and write a food/wine/travel piece about his experience. As Steve's girlfriend backed-out of the trip at the last moment to fly to the states and his other go-to friends have all declined his invite, Steve reluctantly asks his old friend Rob to accompany him. Too bad for Steve; but "hahaha" for us!

The film is NOTHING more than these two getting on the other's nerves; making fun of snooty things (themselves included); eating in fine-dining establishments (glorious food prep/food porn here!); and making people laugh. If you aren't a British humor enthusiasts, avoid this one! It isn't slapstick/Benny Hill bawdy comedy here ... it is all understated, subtle humor in the delivery of lines of what these two men observe.

I found this to be somewhat of a treat to listen to (these are two highly gifted comedians) ... the beautiful Lake District and countryside of Britain was just an added bonus to it.

The first thing I noticed about this pair up was that the two were made for each other. Their dialogues are so easy, so effortless follow there was no awareness of the intrusion of false, unnecessary dialogue. This is for the movie version. I had a hard time buying the notion that this was a piece of fiction when it most likely was, but that's how smooth the personal and theatrical mixed in. The other lovely part is how the theatrical structure for the piece, the necessary obstructions, personal dilemmas, blended in so seamlessly. These people weren't acting. Oh yes they were! The story, low key as it is, is set against the bleak north country with snow on the ground and complemented by the considerable sophistication of the restaurants. It takes a genuine student of human character to illuminate human behavior in a way this comprehending of the slight struggles for control, as well as the peculiar side effects of self indulgence. It looks simple and easy. To make it this recognizable and entertaining is not. Or maybe it is if you're in their profession in a non Hollywood sort of way.

The Trip, the television program, is a poignant, rambling, beautiful little series, starring comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon as fictionalized versions of themselves.

The Trip, the film, which I was able to catch at a packed SIFF screening, is an edited version of the television show. The six episode series clocks in at about 180 minutes, and the film, at 107 minutes, feels truncated and rushed comparatively. Both follow these hilarious gents as they review restaurants in the English countryside, but with those seventy-so minutes edited out, much of the nuance and poignancy is lost—the tone shifts from somber (but funny), to seemingly desperate for laughs. The film does often get those laughs (Coogan and Brydon, in their largely improvised conversations, are very humorous), but it fails to really make much impact beyond providing entertainment. The more melancholy scenes retained from the television series often feel tacked-on, and the transition between jokes and sentiment clunky, with quiet moments and breathing time largely cut out.

Audiences looking for droll popcorn fare will not be disappointed, but those wanting to be genuinely moved should skip the flick and instead seek out the superlative television series, using whatever means they can.

You can read the story synopsis elsewhere on these pages. My review is all about how thoroughly enjoyable it was to see two intelligent men on screen. It's something rare in American male testosterone driven films which are aimed at the teeny bopper male group. This film ran a gamut of references fro Coleridge to ABBA and never missed a beat.

I really just want to salute the movie as a triumph that says you don't need bombs, explosions or farts to make a film enjoyable. The conversations ran so smoothly. One would have thought them natural as in a cinema verite...........I knew nothing of the stars nor their UK experience and CV.............I just enjoyed listening to them without any prior historical context...........it also made me want to visit northern England to enjoy the food, scenes and outdoors. Worth a watch on a nice quiet peaceful American night. Maybe it will rub off on us.