Two guys go on a trip sampling food and reviewing restaurants. This type of premise might make you brace yourself for a yawner. But Steve Coogan and Robert Brydon make it anything but that in The Trip . They take this simple premise and expand on it, bringing humor and depth to the screen.
Steve has an assignment. He has to sample fare at several restaurants. When his girlfriend can't travel with him, he invites his friend, Robert to join him. Robert leaves his family for the week (not an easy task for him) and gets ready to hit the road. Along the way, he comes to realize that Steve isn't just exploring food. He's exploring his own future.
More Than a Comedy
These comedians bring their talent onscreen as weave merge impersonations into the main storyline. One of the greatest strengths of this film is that it mixes comedy with seriousness. The viewer gets to appreciate talented comedians as they try to outdo each other with impersonations while also appreciating the bond of friendship.
The viewer learns about history and sees what it takes to prepare an artistically designed gourmet meal. Most of all, the viewer follows the journey of men who are coming to terms with the fact that they are aging.
Cinematography
The cinematography is exquisite, showing beautiful mountains and fields. The audio is basic, highlighting voices more than any type of background music. This puts an emphasis on witty dialogue that sneaks up on you causing you, the viewer, to suddenly burst into laughter. When there is music in the background, it is very subtle, creating a mood.
A film for adults due to content (the occasional F-bomb as well as blunt talk about drugs and some smoking), The Trip encourages you to reflect on your own life, seeing both positive and negative. The best part of this film is that it shows friends with similar talents goofing around sometimes competing but most of the time appreciating. They name all the characters they appreciate so if the viewer isn't familiar with a particular character they can go look the person up.
The Trip provides many laughs, but it's much more than a simple comedy. It's a reminder to identify what's important in life.
- Actors: Steve Coogan, Robert Brydon
- Directors: Michael Winterbottom
- Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
- Language: English
- Region: Region 1
- Studio: MPI Home Video
- DVD Release Date: October 11, 2011
- Run Time: 112 minutes
Christine Pollock - Christine Pollock loves to tell people that she watches TV for a living - a true fact that’s also appreciated by her ...
