The Trip (2010)When you go on a trip, what is it that you're looking for? Surely it is something you could not seem to find in your day to day life, otherwise a vacation would be superfluous. That said, it doesn't always have to be something monumental, but sometimes it can be something integral; hopefully, you recognize it when it appears. Sometimes it's a justification to see more of the world outside your sphere of influence, to partake of the local flavor, be it cuisine or scenery. Sometimes it is for the chance to take stock of one's life. And sometimes it is to share the company of someone special to you, whether you acknowledge that or not. The Trip (2010) is all of these.
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The Trip is a dramatic comedy featuring "Steve Coogan" and "Rob Bryden" on a fact-finding mission to explore the local culture in the north of England by partaking in the local flavor and cuisine. The actors play dramatized versions of themselves for the sake of the narrative, similar to Louis Malle's My Dinner With Andre. Rob represents the "yang" to Steve's "yin", providing levity to interactions with his colleague Steve, who is coping with his anxiety and existential doubts coming from matters of age, sex, and success. Originally intending to accompany his girlfriend Mischa (Margo Stilley) on this trip, their relationship hiatus and her business trip to America prompts Steve to recruit Rob to be his travelling companion--he even offers to split the fee he will collect for his research into the cuisine of the northern country, although in keeping with his insecure nature, he makes the split an uneven "60/40". Steve struggles to keep relationships intact, but Rob appears to do so effortlessly with his family, even engaging in playful phone flirting with his wife. The competition is ever present between these two comedians, although more rivalry than bitterness. Steve presses to see if he can unsettle his comrade, but either Rob is too well-mannered to allow the biting jabs to reach him, or--more likely--he accepts the truism Steve's son tells him: that Rob is a true friend and has been over the eleven years they have known one another. Steve's barbs suggest that he is jealous of Rob's talents as an entertainer, but it is in actuality his happy personal life, something Steve lacks, between his divorced wife, absent son, and even his indifferent girlfriend. His envy is reminiscent of Amadeus, with Steve allowing this jealousy to poison him as it did with Salieri, albeit not to the same severe extent. But long, contemplative moments with Steve in isolation suggest a man who craves success to fill this inner void, with his dreams manifesting both his anxieties and desperation to prove something to himself, refusing to accept anything less than excellence, even when he is offered a co-lead in a pilot for a dramatic series. While The Trip arguably focuses heavily on Steve, Rob's presence is imperative as a counterbalance for the story and tone, just as a boxing match needs two capable contenders.
The Trip is a film about imitations; both Rob and Steve do imitations, although Rob is somewhat better, a fact which Steve often seeks to thwart with his own efforts, with examples including dueling "Michael Caine" impressions over dinner. The Trip poses as a documentary-esque travelogue about the variety of culinary experiences in England--and showcases both nouveau cuisine and standard fare for the region--but it's really a buddy flick. The escape to the countryside from London--a realm of isolation among many for Steve--recalls another British film: Withnail and I, at least one notable difference being that Steve and Rob enjoy glasses of white wine in lieu of lighter fluid. But like that film, the two men learn more about one another, their relationship strengthening even when they may argue or bicker at times. The Trip was originally released as a television series for the BBC, with six episodes for the six locations Steve and Rob visit. Although I have not seen the series in full, I believe that The Trip makes more sense as a film, since the locations are not really the most interesting part of the story. There is a certain wonderment when each unique course is presented to the duo, but it is their conversations--not the food--which is most captivating, and how we get to know and understand the characters of Steve Coogan and Rob Bryden over their week abroad. I have a special fondness for The Trip, as my brother introduced it to me when we took a trip ourselves to Baltimore and we watched it at the hotel, making it a kind of parallel experience in a way. Some viewers might identify more with Steve and others with Rob, but even if you claim to do neither, one can still enjoy the delightful comedy in the form of rapid fire witticisms and the suppressed drama it sometimes conceals. No doubt you will find yourself quoting the lines at length to the embarrassment of your friends and family in restaurants, car rides, even crossing a river upon mossy stones.
Recommended for: Fans of a heartfelt and clever dramatic comedy about two men bonding over a trip abroad, with genuinely funny humor and convincing banter between friends who happen to be comedians. It is a diverse multi-course selection, with something for virtually everyone.
The Trip is a film about imitations; both Rob and Steve do imitations, although Rob is somewhat better, a fact which Steve often seeks to thwart with his own efforts, with examples including dueling "Michael Caine" impressions over dinner. The Trip poses as a documentary-esque travelogue about the variety of culinary experiences in England--and showcases both nouveau cuisine and standard fare for the region--but it's really a buddy flick. The escape to the countryside from London--a realm of isolation among many for Steve--recalls another British film: Withnail and I, at least one notable difference being that Steve and Rob enjoy glasses of white wine in lieu of lighter fluid. But like that film, the two men learn more about one another, their relationship strengthening even when they may argue or bicker at times. The Trip was originally released as a television series for the BBC, with six episodes for the six locations Steve and Rob visit. Although I have not seen the series in full, I believe that The Trip makes more sense as a film, since the locations are not really the most interesting part of the story. There is a certain wonderment when each unique course is presented to the duo, but it is their conversations--not the food--which is most captivating, and how we get to know and understand the characters of Steve Coogan and Rob Bryden over their week abroad. I have a special fondness for The Trip, as my brother introduced it to me when we took a trip ourselves to Baltimore and we watched it at the hotel, making it a kind of parallel experience in a way. Some viewers might identify more with Steve and others with Rob, but even if you claim to do neither, one can still enjoy the delightful comedy in the form of rapid fire witticisms and the suppressed drama it sometimes conceals. No doubt you will find yourself quoting the lines at length to the embarrassment of your friends and family in restaurants, car rides, even crossing a river upon mossy stones.
Recommended for: Fans of a heartfelt and clever dramatic comedy about two men bonding over a trip abroad, with genuinely funny humor and convincing banter between friends who happen to be comedians. It is a diverse multi-course selection, with something for virtually everyone.