The Trip

Plot synopsis:
Paul Groves (Peter Fonda), a television commercial director, takes his first dose of LSD while experiencing the heartbreak and ambivalence of divorce from his beautiful but adulterous wife (Susan Strasberg). He starts his trip with a "guide," John (Bruce Dern), but runs away and abandons him out of fear.
Experiencing repetitive visions of pursuit by dark hooded figures mounted on black horses, Paul sees himself running across a beach.
As Paul experiences his trip, he wanders around the Sunset Strip, into nightclubs, and the homes of strangers and acquaintances. Paul considers the roles played by commercialism, sex, the role of women in his life. He meets a young woman, Glenn (Salli Sachse), who is interested in people who take LSD. Having learned from Paul recently that he would be taking LSD, she has been looking out for him. Max (Dennis Hopper) plays a role as another friendly guide to his trip.
Glenn drives Paul to her Malibu beach house, where they make erotic love, interspersed in his mind with a kaleidoscopic riot of abstract images intercut with visions of pursuit on a beach, a scene that is a sly homage to Bergman's, The Seventh Seal. Driven into the surf by his pursuers, Paul turns and faces both of them, and they reveal themselves to be his wife and Glenn.
As the sun rises, Paul returns to his normal state of consciousness now transformed by the trip and steps out to the balcony to get some fresh air. Glenn asks him whether his first LSD experience was constructive. Paul defers his answer to "tomorrow." His face is frozen in close-up, and his image cracks like glass through an animation special effect.

Tags: comedy, dark, psychedelic, entertaining

Review:
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 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..
As explained in the first 10 seconds of the film, it's simply about Steve Coogan (played by Steve Coogan) who reluctantly invites his quasi-friend Rob Brydon (played by Rob Brydon) in on an assignment reviewing restaurants in northern UK.What follows is 172 minutes of bizarre, awkward and painful humour which, like in the "Michael Caine" clip, centers around the 2 quirky characters and their polite antagonism of each other.
Coogan plays the somewhat superior egotist while Brydon plays the clown (who always gets the better of his counterpart)."The Trip" was originally a 6-part series that aired on BBC in 2010, strung into a feature film released in 2011.
I was extremely impressed that director Michael Winterbottom could make such a funny film within such a bleak premise.Watch it closely and you'll be both entertained and affected.
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.
What a winning combination can be found in Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon in Michael Winterbottom's comedy The Trip.
Utilizing every inch of British humor that they can, Coogan and Brydon take the witty script even further, making real characters out of themselves and playing it straight, whether it's hilarious or a little heartbreaking.
Unable to take his girlfriend, he ends up taking his actor best friend Rob Brydon (also playing himself), and the two must endure the trip together, which becomes quite a challenge for Steve and Rob. They make quite the pair from there, often feeding into one another's humor brilliantly and in only a classy way, as they try to pass the time.
Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, playing themselves, take off on a road trip to northern England's finer restaurants.
The Trip does not rise to that Tristram Shandy's level, but there are plenty of moments to enjoy here, especially if you are at all familiar with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon.
The Trip is a delightful little road movie unlike any other film you are likely to have seen before.Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon travel the English countryside trying the best hotels and cuisine on offer and on they way they not only try to out do themselves on the impersonation stakes they also try to keep their friendship going when quite obviously they see themselves as rivals.Most of this film is improvised and it's so much better for it although there is an underlying story in the film about Steve Coogan's relationship with his girlfriend but it's more a distraction than a help to the movie.
Without doubt , the conversations the two men have ( mostly in other famous peoples voices ) are the highlights of the film.Brydon comes out of the film as the most likable , if not a little irritating , and Coogan seems a little irritable at times .
It's never clear whether they are trying to be themselves or they are meaning to come across this way.The Trip is a very British film that i doubt would appeal to a foreign market but i liked it a lot..
One is the comedy of "Steve Coogan" and "Rob Brydon" exchanging barbs and doing impressions and making witty observations.
The other film involves the contrast between these people/characters: Steve, trying to bolster his acting career and struggling with a relationship that's starting to crack, and Rob the less successful but content family man.
While the film isn't as post-modern as the previous collaborations (24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE and TRISTRAM SHANDY, both of which seem to get minor callbacks in the first episode, though it may be merely coincidence) it still maintains an unconventionality.8/10(REVIEW FOR FILM) I'm very glad I watched the series before the movie.
Rob Bryden might be well known for his impressions, but with multiple impersonations of Michael Caine, Sean Connery as James Bond and Woody Allen leaves you feeling like he has a repertoire of 3.
The rest of the movie was mildly interesting in terms of the food preparation in the kitchens and nice scenery, but it was obviously populated with actors while pretending to be a real life foodie road trip.
Nothing much more there.Watching this movie was much like suffering through an incredibly boring dinner party, where incredibly boring guests bore you with incredibly boring stories about their incredibly boring and self involved lives.I am normally not so harsh in my opinions of another's art but this was just awful and I want my time back.
The Trip is about British actors Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, here playing themselves, who go on a trip to the English countryside to try out some of the best restaurants, so later Steve can review the food for a newspaper.
I have basically been a fan of Steve Coogan since I saw his wonderful performance in the film 24 Hour Party People.
This one will give you a lot of food for thought and with the great performances on display here this film is a complete and utter masterpiece that I am sure hoping gets recognized at awards time and I would call it my favourite film so far this year and I doubt there will be a better comedy, or reflection film this year.
The fact that Coogan was obsessed with going to Hollywood made sense because that's where he will fit in with many others who have big egos and low intelligence.If your sense of humor is at the level of a little boy between the ages of approximately 8-12, then you might enjoy this film.
I love road trip films, it's a unique genre which allows good character studies in light of a changing backdrop of places and people.
but you cannot fuel a movie with cheesy imitations of Michael Caine, nice (but average after all) landscapes, and incoherent scenes of people eating and cooking; the only aspect that I found interesting was the depiction of the decadence of Coogan as it was matching melancholy of the scenery; but again, this does not make it entertaining or worth watching; there is an overflow of arrogance and a smell of moth in this humor that only can be enjoyed if you are of the same class, but guys, the rest of the world has moved on decades ago while you stand still watching it from the perspective of the metropolis versus the colonies, this humor has no future, fortunately for us, and it is rarely enjoyed outside of England or Britain, thank God..
This film strikes the viewer with its captivating simplicity ,from start to finish you can hardly believe that the people in the movie were actually acting ,the brilliant performances by Coogan and Brydon augments the already witty and well written dialogue that came off very naturally as an everyday conversation of two friends eating in a restaurant ,with hardly any impression of "synthetic" dialogue, but nonetheless keeping it fun and interesting to watch ,with enough jokes to keep you smiling for a good part of the movie.
The understated Rob Brydon may be the perfect foil for the brash, borderline-obnoxious Steve Coogan, but listening to their improv'd table talk on this (imaginary) gourmet junket around the north of England was a bit like scrolling through the smartass comments on the Onion AV Club website, amusing for a few minutes, then just numbing and annoying.
Furthermore the film is a highlight reel of a BBC miniseries of the same name therefore guaranteeing that unless you're the kind of person who wonders into a movie blind, you'll probably walk in being a fan of the series and therefore you'll automatically enjoy it.But to the rest of us, The Trip runs the risk of being insufferable.
Usually I like Steve Coogan's work but this time round I am left disappointed with a slight feeling of being conned that I assumed I was watching a comedy.
I am of the understanding that most of this movie was ad-libbed with a loose plot of the road trip and food review(for a magazine) but to be honest, it showed.
Britain's "The Trip" is what those movies would be if they were somewhat realistic, and it's no less funny – depending on your tastes, of course.Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon play fictional versions of themselves who go on a foodie tour of northern England for an article Steve's writing, as told by their "Tristam Shandy" director, Michael Winterbottom.
There's a rhythm and formula to each day: Steve and Rob drive down winding northern roads with beautiful landscapes behind them; they arrive at modest inns where a friendly woman shows them around; they sit in quaint dining rooms and eat exquisite-looking food that Winterbottom loves to show being plated; they do impressions of famous actors ad nauseam; they discuss their careers; they make phone calls to a consistent assortment of people, often out in fields where to get cell phone reception; they recite poetry.
The dueling Michael Caine impressions (and "she was only 15 years old" bit), "Gentleman, to Bed," James Bond villains and singing "The Winner Takes It All" are some of the highlights that can be enjoyed without any context yet definitively add something to the film when experienced as part of the whole."The Trip" feels about as close to real life as a comedy can get without losing all its funniness.
Most real-life friends aren't as funny as these two, and that's the secret as to why not just anyone can go on a food tour of northern England, bring a camera along and make a good movie.
Coogan and Brydon are exemplifying great improvisational chemistry while staying grounded in their characters enough that "The Trip" retains the feel of a documentary.Even Americans or others who self-identify as fans British humor will find "The Trip" to be a different sort of animal that maybe wasn't what they expected.
Like the characters, I also want to go home at some point and the movie is probably a bit too long..
It is along the lines of a "My Dinner with Andre", so watchable, so funny, so warm, I just love it.I really like road trip films, and these two buddies are so fun to watch.
The first time I saw it , I was so sad to see it end.Steve Coogan plays (himself?) a successful actor and his sidekick is his second-choice companion on an English road trip full of meals, flirting, historic landmarks, and quirky small village accommodations.Hilarity ensues with much singing of Abba songs, impersonations of Sir Anthony Hopkins, and more.Give it a go...
"Death is but a moment, cowardice is a lifetime of affliction."Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon play somewhat alternate versions of themselves in this film based on their TV series of the same name which was also directed by Michael Winterbottom.
The Trip is a fun ride which banks on the strong chemistry between Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon while also exploiting the gorgeous landscape of Northern England.
The plot revolves almost entirely on both actors conversing with each other as they are driving through the beautiful landscape or eating at elegant restaurants, and as boring as the premise sounds, the film works nonetheless thanks to their chemistry.
Perhaps the greatest critique I might have towards this film is that Coogan is supposed to be touring through Northern England to write about the food served at these elegant restaurants, but there is almost no discussion about it.
The film looks amazing because of the wonderful locations and the great food, but it is only an excuse to get these two actors together on a road trip.
Coogan was actually supposed to tour the country with his girlfriend, but she had to return to America so he is forced to travel with Rob. The Trip does focus on Steve's fading relationship with her and due to the terrible reception in every inn they stay at, he is forced to make the calls out in the open with the gorgeous backdrop which elevates the film even more.
A double-bill of the film versions of BBC series THE TRIP, the first season is in 2010, Steve Coogan is asked by The Observer to tour Northern England's finest restaurants, but his then girlfriend Mischa (Stilley) back-pedals in the last minute, so Coogan asks his friend, the comedian and impressionist Rob Brydon to come with him instead.
Treading on the similar (and successful) territory of Richard Linklater's BEFORE trilogy, the films almost inclusively rely on the interminable chattering between Coogan and Brydon, but since the casual conversation between two heterosexual middle-aged male is a bore, so to a lesser degree, the films opt for their celebrity impressions (mainly from Brydon, the personae are running from local staples to international names like Michael Caine, Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, various 007, to the latest Batman stars Tom Hardy and Christine Bale) to entertain viewers, which is a successful gag at first, but when it has been stretched into two films, sooner or later the laughter would freeze into a state of insensibility (one exception is Rob's man-in-the-box mimicry in Pompeii.
This was truly an awful movie.The two leads were sad, obnoxious characters who drive around the north of England for an all expenses paid trip, reviewing meals.
As a result, these parts of the movie were mostly lost upon me, contrary to others in the audience who apparently and loudly enjoyed themselves, probably while they were better able to spot actors and texts than I could.Notwithstanding the two main characters having an obvious leading role in the story, their friends and colleagues also took part, albeit on a distance (via their mobile phones) or confined to some scenes (e.g. the photo shoot for a magazine).
This film tells the story of a famous entertainer going to restaurants in different parts of England to write a culinary review.
I am not a fan of Steve Coogan, but I found myself actually laughing at some of the scenes in the film.
Think of it as a buddy trip film, with funny moments that feel very real..
The Trip is Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon's vacation sitcom that is basically the two comedians going to different restaurants in the North of Britain.
I'm dying to see something different, but all I'm getting is the same stuff over and over again!If you watched the Trailers it looks like it was going to be a hilarious movie full of comedy and food.
It looks exactly like a comedy but it doesn't do anything to be different!Maybe if I watched the uncut series, I would have liked it better, but I am reviewing a film.
This is a fictional story but actors Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon are playing themselves on a road trip across the North of England.
Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon are back once again playing a fictionalized version of themselves in "The Trip".
In one of their previous films, "Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story" which I have not seen yet, but have heard great things, Coogan and Brydon play the same characters.
The whole film is Coogan and Brydon either driving, or eating a meal, and in which they bicker at each other and do famous celebrity impersonations.
"The Trip" is a variant of the 'Buddy Film' with Steve Coogan as the lonely and overcompensating single guy against the stable and happy family guy, Rob Brydon.
Brydon mostly wins in a road film that never leaves second gear.Culled from a six part BBC series, "The Trip" has precious few moments of high hilarity - an impression 'Bond/Scaramanga-Off' between the comics is one of them - but there are many miles of improvisation that are neither funny nor engaging.Then there's the dour Coogan who, at the top of his game career-wise, is depressed and moody.
I liked that this movie was intelligent and funny, while at the same time it didn't try too hard to be either.
But it is a good film, tender in some moments, ridiculous in others.I enjoyed Steve Coogan very much.
Playing loose versions of themselves, Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon reprise their hilariously fictionalized roles from Tristam Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story and reunite with acclaimed director Michael Winterbottom for an acerbically witty, largely improvised ride through the English countryside.