Friday, November 7, 2014

The Trip

From what I’ve seen on here, the reception for The Trip has been mostly lukewarm. I have to disagree with this, as I found it to be satisfying. While I enjoyed the film after my first viewing, I appreciated it more after doing some research on its creation.

This was originally aired as a tv series in Britain, and later edited into a feature film for theatrical release here in the United States. This is unique as most films don’t have this distinction, as well as impressive that the creators were able to make it work as a film in addition to a tv program.


This film is also a mockumentary, as Coogan and Brydon actually play themselves. This never turns into parody, and these characters always feel real. In an interview about the film, Coogan said that he and Brydon simply exaggerated aspects of themselves to enhance the comedy. Much of the dialogue is reportedly improvised as well, which is rare for a non-mumblecore film.

While the film is largely successful because of the humor from its stars, it also has genuine dramatic moments as well. Many others in the class complained that there was no story or plot, which I find to be puzzling. This is a character-driven piece that focuses on the self-discovery of Coogan’s character, so I found the plotting to be appropriate.

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