studioAT
'The Trip' is one of the many shows that seem to be on currently or have been on recently that feature actors playing versions of themselves. In this show we have Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon doing exactly that.It's a rambling travelogue of a show, that enables both performers to shine. The publics perception of them already plays a big part in it's success too, as they both play to it and against it well.It doesn't really go anywhere though for me, with each episode hitting the re-set button. I also found it to be a little self-indulgent.What I would recommend though is watching the TV series version of it rather than the expanded 'film' attempt, which milks it a bit too much.
jane-65392
Steve and Rob are both well known comedians and actors who have been friends for over 11 years and have worked together on several projects. The Trip has them taking on a small, filler job, touring the north of England to write a few restaurant reviews. The movie is about their friendship and how hard it often is for male friends to move beyond the superficial and amusing and to let their guard down with each other long enough to be real and thereby, vulnerable. Steve is in denial about his aging, his relationships with women, and about the scope of his career. He is a man whose ego is fragile and he goes to great lengths to protect it. Rob is much more comfortable and philosophical about his own life. Contented and happy, he sees no need to compete with Steve, and so a true friendship is able to blossom. It's brilliant!
serafinogm
A bright intelligent borderline narcissist, a narcissist with a heart, embarks on a journey with an equally bright and intelligent and genuinely nice equal through one of the most picturesque areas of England (of which there are many), The Lakes District! The trip is sprinkled with biting amusing humor and is a study on how life may be approached and benefited if one employs wit, intelligence and kindness. This, as well as it's follow on (The Trip to Italy), is stunningly filmed and brilliantly directed. I hope to see more of these! Mind you this is a film for those with a hefty IQ and it will not be enjoyed by the shoot-em-up CGI crowd, as it requires introspection and thought! There are novels one can savor several times throughout a lifetime (Siddhartha, The Stranger etc.) 'The Trip' is the film equivalent of such a novel! By the way welcome to Samuel Taylor Coleridge, an English poet, literary critic and philosopher who, with his friend William Wordsworth, founded the literary Romantic Movement in England.
john32935
There is much to like about this unique little film - witty often improvised dialog, unbelievably beautiful landscapes of rural northern England, the food (THE FOOD!). The 2 main characters are on a road trip assignment to review various high-end restaurants. The movie captures these dining experiences and the shared time between these 2 long-time friends. The leads are very engaging although at times the underlying competitiveness of their relationship is a little off-putting and repetitive, but probably an accurate portrayal of such characters.Originally a British TV series, the film is an condensed version of one season, and the result (for time purposes) feels a little short-changed in the development of the characters. However, the overall fun in watching the movie makes this flaw acceptable.Be sure to watch the DVD bonus feature focusing on the food eaten throughout the movie as the bonus feature details the plating and preparation which are a little hurried during the main feature.A recently released film documenting this twosome on a journey in Italy should be a worthy follow-up.For my other movie reviews, please visit: https://nomorewastedmovienights.wordpress.com
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