The Trip
IFC Films | Release Date: June 10, 2011
6.5
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 56 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
31
Mixed:
18
Negative:
7
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User Reviews

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9
MarcDoyleJun 13, 2011
Outstanding film. As we were leaving the theater, three 40-something women were bashing it as pretentious, self-indulgent, and overlong by 30 minutes. I can't believe they watched the same film we did. It has enormous laughs, and someOutstanding film. As we were leaving the theater, three 40-something women were bashing it as pretentious, self-indulgent, and overlong by 30 minutes. I can't believe they watched the same film we did. It has enormous laughs, and some seriously touching moments. I'm now a huge fan of Rob Brydon - what a tremendous talent. It's also a visually beautiful film, with some amazing food/restaurant moments. The impressions and off-the-cuff conversations are side-splittingly funny.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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0
dillettanteAug 17, 2011
No,Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon doesn't "play themselves".They are trying to somehow attract visitors to English countryside.And to boost sales of Range Rover cars.Looks like a long and boring commercial.But there is a funny side asNo,Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon doesn't "play themselves".They are trying to somehow attract visitors to English countryside.And to boost sales of Range Rover cars.Looks like a long and boring commercial.But there is a funny side as well.Food,that ostensibly they are being served,by well trained staff,you will hardly encounter in top London restorants!… Expand
0 of 3 users found this helpful03
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9
LynSep 1, 2012
"The Trip" feels like a variation on "Sideways," but quintessentially British. The misty moors instead of the sunny wine country, and witty riffs on poetry and Abba lyrics rather than comical sexual hijinks. And instead of playing out their"The Trip" feels like a variation on "Sideways," but quintessentially British. The misty moors instead of the sunny wine country, and witty riffs on poetry and Abba lyrics rather than comical sexual hijinks. And instead of playing out their "issues" with references to wine, these two guys do it with hilarious impressions from show biz. The drama is droll and subtle. Granted, I'm a fan of "talky" films, but I'm really surprised at the critics who felt this was too long. I could have tagged along on this trip for another hour.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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7
BrucenelsonAug 2, 2011
Silly, entertaining for the most part, the same impersonations repeated through out get a little old, but when they're clicking it's Monty Python on tour. The two characters are odd-couplish and delineated enough that they punctuate and keepSilly, entertaining for the most part, the same impersonations repeated through out get a little old, but when they're clicking it's Monty Python on tour. The two characters are odd-couplish and delineated enough that they punctuate and keep the story going. There are attempts at side stories, Coogan's love life, and they are pretty weak. Usually he has to find a remote spot to phone his girl friend which brings in the real star, the cameo by the Northern England landscape. Beautiful. There's one gorgeous scene where Rob Brydon is babbling on and Coogan tells him to shut up, a feeling I had a couple of times during the movie. The food even looked intriguing but again they were so absorbed in their impersonations they paid scant attention to it.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
CitizenCharlieJun 21, 2011
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 Englandâ
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8
MorriBeyJun 17, 2011
The movie is like Jazz. Either you will like or you will not. I dont like Jazz but i liked this movie. Its akin to a new genre of movie making.....its like a documentary and you are instantly transported into the lives of the two comedians.The movie is like Jazz. Either you will like or you will not. I dont like Jazz but i liked this movie. Its akin to a new genre of movie making.....its like a documentary and you are instantly transported into the lives of the two comedians. It probably could have had more nuisances but its an enjoyable journey of two friends as they traverse wales.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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9
jhcsmithJun 13, 2011
Fantastic series that analysis two aging comedians ever growing life difficulties. Mixed with competitive conversations were Coogan and Brydon try to better each other with their various skills and impressions, truly fun to watch.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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8
jimcbarkerJun 15, 2011
This was originally put on TV in the UK as a mini-series. It's really great. Thoughtful, reflective and loaded with pathos. I'm now looking forward to seeing it as a theatrical piece.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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9
GreatwhitenorthAug 26, 2011
Went in with no expectations as I was unaware of the actors previous work. Attended in a small theatre in Portland (The Living Room) with an audience who was both open and discerning. This film was well paced, beautifully filmed andWent in with no expectations as I was unaware of the actors previous work. Attended in a small theatre in Portland (The Living Room) with an audience who was both open and discerning. This film was well paced, beautifully filmed and extremely funny and brilliantly executed. Other audiences might have been disappointed due to the lack of car chases or crude humour but for those who value well crafted work this is one movie you must see.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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5
CincinnatiDaveNov 6, 2011
This is a very strange flick. While Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon are likable and humorous, the movie accomplishes very little. I didn't feel as if the characters were affected by the events that occurred, or that they changed emotionally orThis is a very strange flick. While Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon are likable and humorous, the movie accomplishes very little. I didn't feel as if the characters were affected by the events that occurred, or that they changed emotionally or psychologically. Why were we witness to this "slice" of their lives? I'm slightly baffled as to why critics are rating it so high! I did laugh a little, and I did enjoy viewing the English countryside. But, the movie "feels" too long and slowly paced, the side stories are weak and uncomfortable, and the repeated dialog and impersonations get very old quickly.… Expand
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4
NoahCowardMay 20, 2012
A better title for this movie would be "The Bad Trip" but you don't have to take LSD to not enjoy it. Sometimes critics like to celebrate certain boring movies to prove they can appreciate elusive, precious qualities that mere mortals areA better title for this movie would be "The Bad Trip" but you don't have to take LSD to not enjoy it. Sometimes critics like to celebrate certain boring movies to prove they can appreciate elusive, precious qualities that mere mortals are incapable of detecting. Then like the emperor's new clothes, they fall in line with effusive praise of the glorious adornments of a stark naked mortal.

Based on the critics effusive reviews, and my affection for Steve Coogan, I began watching with high expectations and a predisposition to enjoy this movie. When I woke up about 90 minutes later and realized I'd dozed off, there was a reason. This movie is BORING. Nothing happens. Sometimes when it appears nothing is happening, it's because nothing is happening.

Travelogues are not as popular as they used to be and sometimes hard to find so if you are clamoring to see images of a Range Rover travailing through picturesque British countryside this movie could be for you. Otherwise your time might be better spent flossing or organizing your sock drawer.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
ClariseSamuelsDec 24, 2014
The Trip is a 2010 movie I downloaded from Netflix, partly because I was very impressed with Steve Coogan in Philomena, where he starred and co-wrote the screenplay. The Trip is a romp, and it’s one of those romps that turn out to be more funThe Trip is a 2010 movie I downloaded from Netflix, partly because I was very impressed with Steve Coogan in Philomena, where he starred and co-wrote the screenplay. The Trip is a romp, and it’s one of those romps that turn out to be more fun for the actors than the audience, although that’s not to say that the audience can’t enjoy it too. But it’s always a problem when actors play themselves in a movie. What is to be gained by playing yourself in a movie that creates an otherwise fictionalized setting? In The Trip, it turns out to be very little. Actors usually hide behind their characters, and they can freely play out the best and worst instincts known to humanity—that’s what actors do; it is their profession. But when they play themselves, which is not recommended, they hide behind their character only selectively, wanting to aggrandize their best characteristics, and when the human foibles are portrayed, well, that’s just the fictional part, or at the very least, as Coogan insisted in an interview, it’s an exaggeration. Trying to figure out which parts are real and which are exaggerated or just pure fiction becomes the challenge for the audience, who has better things to think about than the faults to be found in Steve Coogan and his co-star, Rob Brydon,

In short, The Trip centers on Coogan getting a magazine commission reviewing the best restaurants in Northern England, where one can find exquisite haute cuisine that would rival Paris. England is generally not known for such superb fare, a reputation that goes back at least a couple of centuries. (Heinrich Heine traveled to England in 1827 and said that when he left, he threw himself at the feet of the first French chef he met.) Coogan admits that in real life he would never accept such a commission, and that he has no skill in the art of culinary critique. In the movie, he also has no such skill. He never once inquires about ingredients, never once savors a trace of rosemary or marjoram, and when given an elaborately mixed green drink that was the pride of the house, his only remark was that it looked like snot. That’s fine for real life, but in the fiction played out in the film, how did Coogan earn his commission?

Instead, the trip is an excuse to celebrate a bromance between two very talented, attractive, and charismatic British actors, because that is who they are in real life. They rib each other, put each other down, and enjoy a rivalry that centers on who can sing the most octaves and who can do the best impersonation of Michael Caine, James Bond (differentiating between Connery and Moore), and Woody Allen. Coogan wins hands down with Woody Allen—his impersonation of the famous Brooklyn stutter is so perfect, it almost sounds like a voice-over.

The two actors are charming, almost irresistible. But when it comes to women, Brydon has thrown in the towel and is faithfully married (both in the film and in real life), while Coogan is a real jerk with women (both in the film and in real life). The film has him a little depressed, because Mischa (Margo Stilley), his girlfriend, refused to go on the trip with him and instead went to the States to further her career. But in spite of his romantic grief, he still picks up a pretty clerk in his rural hotel. The next morning he barely bids her adieu; it’s not clear that he even knows her name. This behavior, it later comes out in the plot, is routine for Coogan. In real life, Coogan is happily paired up with a woman half his age (he’s 49), who is a model best known for her cheesy lingerie ads that make her look like she’s a 40DD. Now, was that an “exaggeration” in the film when he was depicted as being a cad who has minimal respect for intelligent women? Will the real Steve Coogan please stand up?

In the future, Coogan should stick to fictional characters who allow him to forget himself. It’s for the best. Nevertheless, The Trip entertains even as it bewilders.… Expand
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6
TyranianApr 14, 2019
Fairly entertaining film with some laughs and good acting though nothing obviously happens.
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6
House0fWolves_Dec 16, 2011
The acting is spectacular - this proves to be the only actual good component, making this film one actually worth watching. Otherwise, you'd be wasting your time on a boring food fest bursting your desires to spend an insane amount of moneyThe acting is spectacular - this proves to be the only actual good component, making this film one actually worth watching. Otherwise, you'd be wasting your time on a boring food fest bursting your desires to spend an insane amount of money on relatively bland food.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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5
lasttimeisawDec 15, 2014
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 lastA 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. The second season is released this year, and the pair embarks on a trip to Italy for the another restaurant review tour. Both seasons are separately compressed into two film features by its director Michael Winterbottom.

continue reading my review on my blog, google: cinema omnivore, thanks… Expand
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4
beingryanjudeMar 17, 2015
Having been edited together from the British television series, The Trip finds itself formulaic far too often. Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon are clear talents - but the same pretentious talk and repetitive impersonations can only go so far.
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6
JTKelleyAug 10, 2012
This was better than I was expecting for Video on Demand, at times hilarious and at times insightful, but these moments were never consistent enough for this to truly be considered a quality film.
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0
chemicalreaperSep 23, 2012
The only thing that was humorous about this film was how absolutely terrible it was. For a comedy film, the jokes were nonexistent: and I don't say this as someone who expects slapstick comedy; I say this as someone who grew up watching theThe only thing that was humorous about this film was how absolutely terrible it was. For a comedy film, the jokes were nonexistent: and I don't say this as someone who expects slapstick comedy; I say this as someone who grew up watching the great British comedy series (Red Dwarf, Only Fools, Monty Python, Inbetweeners, Blackadder, Fawlty Towers, etc.). This film bored me to tears. The two main characters were completely unlikeable and the film just failed to deliver in any aspect of interesting plot.… Expand
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6
JLuis_001Sep 2, 2019
Deceptively simple but satisfactorily enjoyable.
After all, if you told someone what it is, they probably would not be interested, however it's a small film that without ambitions ends up providing a pleasant time.
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8
FlipjeMay 26, 2021
After seeing both the film and miniseries version, I prefer the former. Still, the same idea. Take two talented comedians, throw them in a Land Rover together and send them off to England's rustic and picturesque Lake District. On the way,After seeing both the film and miniseries version, I prefer the former. Still, the same idea. Take two talented comedians, throw them in a Land Rover together and send them off to England's rustic and picturesque Lake District. On the way, they annoy each other (or rather Brydon annoys Coogan), attempt to out-do each other in terms of impressions (Michael Caine, Al Pacino, Richard Burton, Woody Allen) while visiting hoity-toity restaurants, sipping all kinds of wine, taking in the wild and wondrous scenery and for Coogan, being naughty with several ladies. The movie uses the characters to present meaningful contrasts in life choices. Coogan (both comedians are playing 'versions' of themselves) is ambitious but conflicted and wonders if he shouldn't go off to America and take on bigger, flashier roles. His girlfriend is already there, doing work and during their abrupt phone chats, you get an idea of tension. Meanwhile, Brydon is happily married, and new father and Coogan can't help but feel envious while hoping to rebuild his relationship with his own son. Layered over this wayward inner/outer journey is Michael Nyman's spare piano pieces, adding a meditative and wistful tone. Highlights include: the scenery, the impromptu impressions and Coogan, while out on a hike, encountering a know-it-all amateur geologists who knows everything about limestone rock formations. It is very British but in a mildly snobby, but charming, cheerful way.… Expand
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