I guess the original film THE TRIP had a bit of newness to it, because #2 in the series was a little less entertaining, even though it was very much "more of the same" that we got in the first film. But Rob Brydon's impersonations have lost some of their lustre (and he physically works SO hard when doing some of them, it's a little uncomfortable to watch)...where his Michael Caine amazed before and his Hugh Grant amused before, they now seem like a lazy way to fill the running time of the movie.
The best parts of the film are still the easy, bristling exchanges between Coogan and Brydon. They are friends who have a lot of grievances with each other. (And you can practically see Coogan's skin crawl when he realizes Brydon may get a big role in a Michael Mann film.) Yet, they are both so sharp and sharp-witted and so amused by each other, we can't help but be drawn in. They love film, and for a film-lover, that makes these movies irresistible. How often I wanted to be able to jump in and join the conversation!
The beauty factor in ITALY is higher than the original TRIP (through Northern England). Not that the English countryside isn't lovely, but the cinematography in that film was a bit more drab, and in the sequel, Italy positively sparkles. It's tough to beat the Amalfi Coast, where much of this takes place.
And there are moments when the men are NOT with each other, and really, any moments of plot development really happen here, whether it's Brydon's interactions with a lovely "captain" or Coogan's outreach to his teen son. We're seeing these men age (though not always gracefully and not always in a way that shows wisdom coming with that age), and that's interesting. The understand themselves better, but also understand how much they've failed to improve themselves.
It was all very entertaining. But too many scenes felt like retreads of scenes from film one. Now, it's possible that watching these two movies 5 days apart was a mistake. I have TRIP TO SPAIN on order, but I think I'll wait a month or so to watch.
(And a final complaint, that says more about me than the movie...I enjoyed the food in movie 1, in part because the servers always took time to "introduce" the dish to Coogan and Brydon. They do the same here, but almost always in Italian, which I don't understand, so I missed being able to look at the food and understand what it all was. I saw pasta, and gathered there was a lot of seafood, but that's about it.)
This film (and I wager ALL in the series) is not for everyone. But if you love film, or dry British humor or Steve Coogan (and my wife and I love all 3), then this intelligent, entertaining journey should afford you a very nice evening.
The best parts of the film are still the easy, bristling exchanges between Coogan and Brydon. They are friends who have a lot of grievances with each other. (And you can practically see Coogan's skin crawl when he realizes Brydon may get a big role in a Michael Mann film.) Yet, they are both so sharp and sharp-witted and so amused by each other, we can't help but be drawn in. They love film, and for a film-lover, that makes these movies irresistible. How often I wanted to be able to jump in and join the conversation!
The beauty factor in ITALY is higher than the original TRIP (through Northern England). Not that the English countryside isn't lovely, but the cinematography in that film was a bit more drab, and in the sequel, Italy positively sparkles. It's tough to beat the Amalfi Coast, where much of this takes place.
And there are moments when the men are NOT with each other, and really, any moments of plot development really happen here, whether it's Brydon's interactions with a lovely "captain" or Coogan's outreach to his teen son. We're seeing these men age (though not always gracefully and not always in a way that shows wisdom coming with that age), and that's interesting. The understand themselves better, but also understand how much they've failed to improve themselves.
It was all very entertaining. But too many scenes felt like retreads of scenes from film one. Now, it's possible that watching these two movies 5 days apart was a mistake. I have TRIP TO SPAIN on order, but I think I'll wait a month or so to watch.
(And a final complaint, that says more about me than the movie...I enjoyed the food in movie 1, in part because the servers always took time to "introduce" the dish to Coogan and Brydon. They do the same here, but almost always in Italian, which I don't understand, so I missed being able to look at the food and understand what it all was. I saw pasta, and gathered there was a lot of seafood, but that's about it.)
This film (and I wager ALL in the series) is not for everyone. But if you love film, or dry British humor or Steve Coogan (and my wife and I love all 3), then this intelligent, entertaining journey should afford you a very nice evening.