User reviews

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 Trip is one of the odder on the road, buddy movies. Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, playing themselves, take off on a road trip to northern England's finer restaurants. Coogan is assigned to sample their dishes and author a review on them for the Observer. He invites Brydon along for the ride after his girlfriend and several other friends decline the invitation first.

90% of the film is just back and forth banter between the two British comedians, mostly impressions. They compare their Michael Caine impressions and they are amazingly spot on. They also try out Anthony Hopkins, Ian McKellan, Roger Moore, and a host of others. Intercut between these impressions and other comedic diatribes is a deeper and more personal story. Brydon has a wife and newborn waiting for him back in London but Coogan is in a rough patch with his younger American girlfriend and proceeds through a few one night stands during the trip. There are scenes showing his insecurity with her and a few which show the two friends comparing careers and who is more successful. Coogan is more internationally known but Brydon gets recognized more on the street in northern England.

The last film starring these two was Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story which was about how utterly hard it would be to film the novel Tristram Shandy. That film was comedic genius and still makes me laugh to think about it. 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. If you have never heard of these guys before, you will not get too much out of The Trip except for some laughs at their impressions and a spectacular scene in their Range Rover about improving the line "We rise at dawn."

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. Set up as a mockumentary, Steve Coogan (playing himself) is asked to make a country-wide tour of England and explore the best restaurants in the country. 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. They deal with their (sometimes dismal) outside life, which helps the film get some weight, but mainly focuses on the silly things they do when they are on the trip, which is usually impersonating people they admire or dreaming about roles and films they wish they would and I suppose could make. Even when their humor starts to repeat itself, it is surprisingly still intriguing. This is probably because it is such a refreshing contrast from the loud and obnoxious comedies we have been accustomed to in the Hollywood market. This film is quieter, but it's so damn funny. It finds its humor from not playing dumb to the audience, and higher minded viewers will appreciate that while simpler minded viewers might even find the film dull or droning. What I found is a hilarious, classy, British comedy that never tries too hard, and in doing so, it succeeds where other comedies only wish they could. A-

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.

(REVIEW FOR SERIES) What we've really got is two series. One is the comedy of "Steve Coogan" and "Rob Brydon" exchanging barbs and doing impressions and making witty observations. These parts generally occur over the six meals they share, and I really enjoyed them. Some of their banter is hilarious... I had already seen the Michael Caine routine several times on YouTube and yet I still laughed at it. 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. And I really enjoyed this part as well. Rob's calls home to his wife are amusing but also quite touching. Steve's existential midlife crisis is engaging and insightful as well. The two halves of the film do bleed into each other a bit, but I genuinely appreciated the separation between them. Winterbottom knows that it's okay to just let these two guys play off each other with their natural comedic chemistry and not worry about whether or not it's pushing the "plot" forward. The photography is mostly functional, concentrating on the personalities, but quite lovely when capturing all that gorgeous English countryside. 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. The film does contain the highlights from the show, most of the big belly laughs are intact... the "to bed" sequence is still a riot. But although I can't point to too many specific instances of scenes that I miss, the whole thing doesn't hang together well enough. You can tell there's stuff missing, it feels so fragmented and slapdash. I'm not even sure I want to keep the DVD. There's a generous deleted scenes section (running nearly as long as the film itself), but it doesn't even include everything from the series (about an hour of it is different takes of the "to bed" scene). If I was to watch it again I'd rather see in its original form. It just flows so much better. Like the fine wines Steve & Rob imbibe, the moments need to breathe.

6/10

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, 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.

It has become somewhat of a genre in itself, these films about men in their 40s/50s who have dinner together and summon their lives. Often it's sarcastic and bitter in a funny way. This is no exception.

Two actors tour fancy restaurants in Northern England. There's supposed to be reviews, but most of the time they imitate famous actors in the meanest of ways. And criticize each other's imitations.

They are slightly ridiculous and seem to love it. This is a rather warm movie about middle age crisis, but not a very profound one. But a big plus for the beautiful nature sceneries, which you care much more about than the laughable food these men eat.

If you have 2 minutes to waste reading this review, I suggest instead you go to Youtube, search "the trip michael caine" and watch it. If it makes you laugh, expect more of the same in this movie. If it doesn't do anything for you, then don't bother watching the film. Although I can't imagine any human with a pulse not being tickled by that great scene.

"The Trip" has no real story. 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. If you haven't already seen the Coogan-Brydon schtick (as in "Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story") I can only describe it as classic. It's almost a throwback to Laurel & Hardy or Abbot & Costello but with intelligence rather than slapstick. 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. The whole show was largely improvised, and in the excellent bonus features on the film DVD we can see the evolution of their routines as well as some other gags that didn't make it to the final version (such as the hilariously surreal "C-NT SONG" and accompanying dance choreography).

The pacing of the film is somewhat slow, but that works to its advantage. It makes the whole experience flow realistically, not contrived. The gags are like islands of hilarity in a sea of Coogan's otherwise dreary life. Also note, even though I said there's no story, there actually is if you read between the lines. Ironically, it's a rather heavy story touching on the themes of loneliness, dissatisfaction and Shakespearean "sound and fury signifying nothing". 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. Films I'd compare this to are "Tristram Shandy" (another excellent Coogan-Brydon-Winterbottom collaboration), "Coffee and Cigarettes" (also featuring Coogan in a stylish, artistic comedy by Jim Jarmusch) and some of the Christopher Guest films, such as "A Mighty Wind" and "Best in Show".

Many a Hollywood comedy has put two comics on the road together and found comedic gold. 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. Originally released as a series of six 30-minute episodes for TV, Winterbottom edits them into a film just shy of two hours; despite having not watched the series, nothing feels incomplete about this film version, though doubtless there are more comedic gems to be found in the missing hour of material.

That said, "The Trip" is episodic in nature. 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. Rinse and repeat.

Although at times this repetitive structure feels uninspired, there's something comforting about it, like when you get into a pleasant routine on a vacation. All the while, we grow more accustomed to Steve and Rob's dynamic, one that is typical of two humorous friends in that jokes get repeated, they annoy each other and there's a little one-upmanship going on. The fact that Rob is a family man and Steve is a middle-aged bachelor keeps their back-and- forth interesting and occasionally poignant.

The humorous aspects of "The Trip" have nothing to do with the plot or narrative. Nothing is situational. It has funny bits and clips that stand on their own. 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. It's mundane, uneventful and a little plain. It makes no statements. Yet there's a pleasure in watching it – and re-watching the funniest clips.

~Steven C

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I thoroughly enjoyed The Trip. Not only did the movie capture British humor perfectly but the scenery of Northern England's Lake District and the Pennine mountains made me want to go there. This movie did borrow somewhat from Sideways but in a less substantial way. This was a lighthearted, humorous road movie in the British tradition which also required you to think! The literary references throughout the movie such as the poet Coleridge and others was thought provoking and humorous at the same time.

If you are a fan of American comedy that is unfortunately coming out of Hollywood at the moment, such as The Hangover, Horrible Bosses etc, this will not be your cup of tea. I wonder after seeing this, how would it have been if Monty Python ever created a road movie of this sort?

"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. About 70 minutes have been cut off from the series to fit the film format, but the flow of the story doesn't seem to be affected by it. 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 script is mostly improvised and the funniest moments are when Coogan and Brydon are competing over who can imitate Michael Caine better. They also have fun imitating Woody Allen, Ian McKellan, Sean Connery, among others. 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. We get plenty of scenes of them eating, but they rarely discuss the food and neither of them seem to be qualified to do so. 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. The friendship between Steve and Rob isn't the typical bond you'd see in a buddy comedy either, since there is some competition between both of them and Steve seems to be aggravated towards him most of the time. There is an air of superiority that he exudes which plays somewhat on the familiar theme of ego and envy among actors. It isn't a great film, but it has its fun moments and it looks amazing.

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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.

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Actor Steve Coogan (Steve Coogan) agrees to write for The Observer newspaper to go on a tour of restaurants in the north of England. He planned to go with gourmet girlfriend Mischa but she left him to work in America. He recruits his happily-married 11 year long actor friend Rob Brydon (Rob Brydon) to join him. Coogan is still chasing skirts and chasing that Hollywood stardom. Emma is Coogan's assistant.

This is a B.S. movie. It's fiction that feels real. The two actors are playing an alt version of themselves and there is a reality to their friendship. It works best when the two faux-characters B.S. each other. The best B.S. are their impersonations and the funniest impersonation is their constant need for Michael Caine. There is an aimlessness to the so-called plot. Like the characters, I also want to go home at some point and the movie is probably a bit too long.

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.

I was not sure what to make from the synopsis of this film, due to it heavily relying on the two main characters, hopefully having more to say than just discussing the food, the wine and the ambiance. But the contradictory reviews convinced me to book tickets. Though a film full of dialogues can be fascinating, for example: Weekend (2011, Andrew Haigh); such are rare exceptions to the general rule. Talking heads let me doze off in most cases.

The trip itself was interesting due to magnificent views on landscapes and buildings spread through the northern parts of England. My company had been there as a tourist, and confirmed these to be really impressive. Some of the time we got the views as an unexpected bonus, while our main characters wanted to use their mobile phone but had problems in finding a good spot with quality reception inside.

The visited restaurants and served meals were treated as mere stage props and decors. For some moments we could have an ultra short look in some of the kitchens. The food itself was rarely discussed, not surprising since both main characters admitted their ignorance in this field. In one restaurant where an 8-course menu was served, the explanations by the waiter tended to turn into a parody, due to the rich details on the construction and the ingredients, precisely the same pompous language often appearing on menu's. But that was all about what could have been the main course (literally) of this film. The tone is set in the beginning of the tour, when fragments from restaurant reviews are read aloud and clearly shown to be contradictory, if not useless.

The main ingredients (so to speak) of the movie were the numerous imitations of well known actors, intermixed with many quotations of well known texts. I'm not a native speaker of the English language and hence not very well educated in English literature. Moreover, many of the copied actors were not immediately clear to me. Maybe given extra time I could have recognized more, but the story moved on. 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). We could also observe the many differences between the two main characters, their careers and their very unequal family situations, the latter being perfectly wrapped up in the final coming home scenes. All this adds the necessary flesh to the story, otherwise it would leave us with only the imitations and the landscapes, these being not enough to fill the whole 107 minutes and keep our attention. All in all, the net result is a satisfactory score of 6 out of 10.

The scant artifice of director Michael Winterbottom's The Trip is beguiling in an Edward Albee, two people sitting on a park bench kind of way. In this case the bench is replaced by some of Northern England's most elegant restaurants and the two people sitting opposite each other more or less play slightly wittier versions of themselves. But unlike an Albee play, The Trip doesn't delight in frankness or extremes. The stakes here are low, the conflicts intimate and sub-textual and the trials that befall our two heroes aren't likely to create much smoke.

This can be either a good thing or a bad thing depending on a couple of factors. Those who saw My Dinner with Andre (1981) back in the day and said, "give me more of that please," will no doubt already sold on the idea of two frienemies breaking bread together. Shot in a naturalistic style complete with muted color tones, The Trip doesn't exactly ingratiate itself as a fun movie for general audiences. 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. At the thematic center of the film is Steve Coogan's professional rivalry with Rob Brydon. A rivalry which is revisited repeatedly with long-winded conversations punctuated by petty one-upsmanship. The banter is funny, witty and refreshingly organic with equally on-point Michael Caine impressions serving the largest supply of belly laughs. Yet because much of the dialogue is improvised it's also primordial, relying heavily on the the occasional quip instead of the usual setups and payoffs.

This becomes a problem as the characters progress through each dinner. Coogan and Brydon are wisely concentrated on the power dynamic between them but they never seem all that worried about story progression. One dinner bleeds into the other, into the other with talk of media and name-dropping becoming conversational filler. It gets repetitive and even a little grating as the camera teases us with ten second reprieves in the kitchen to see what's simmering the the pan. Then we're brought right back to Coogan and Brydon who never seem all that jazzed about the food they're eating.

Those in the know will hopefully be entertained by the pleasant dinner conversation and the occasional drive through back country while listening to ABBA. Yet lacking buildup, tension or anything commonly associated with, you know, "movies", The Trip is liable to exclude regular audiences before they even hit coat check.

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.

I give seven stars to this movie. Largely because of the restaurants they have visited, I liked exactly seven. Also, I am a huge fan of the British humor. It makes you think, why exactly the joke is supposed to be funny. One of the guys does hilarious impressions of famous people, though I wasn't able to tell which ones. Because of the actors' rather peculiar accents, I didn't understand half of their conversations. Luckily, the cultural references in the other half went right over my head, so, I suppose, I didn't miss all that much. But the film is definitely worth seeing. It is very well shot, fantastic camera work, and just the right amount of lighting in nearly all the scenes. The actors are good too. I would say they worked hard and diligently at their roles, and it shows. In conclusion, it turned out to be a very educational experience, watching a movie made on the other side of the Atlantic ocean.

We were planning to go and see the latest Trip to Italy movie and decided to rent The Trip to get a taste for the humour. What a totally boring piece of self-indulgence. 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. Needless to say, we're not bothering to go and see the Trip to Italy.