User Reviews

If you liked The Trip, you will like this one, as it is basically the same movie. The same people, the same jokes, the same outdoors and food shots. The only thing that changed is that instead of 44, they are now closer to 50. Their hair is more gray and less. How they relate to the world has changed, children grew up. And, of course, they're in Italy.

To me, one of the failings of the film is that it doesn't really portray the places so well. I understand it's a character piece, but by limiting the surroundings, they also make the movie feel more like a play, diminished in scope, if not in meaning.

Still, if you watched The Trip and wanted more, watch this, too.

The Trip to Italy is a sequel to the little known, little seen 2010 film The Trip, which in itself is a highlight reel of a little known, little seen BBC miniseries of the same name. Each reiteration of this franchise, I guess you could call it, feels like the rotating lenses of a microscope, filling in more detail while getting ever smaller in scope and appeal. Who exactly is this movie for? I'm not quite sure but whoever is on its wavelength will probably have a ball.

The Trip to Italy revisits Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon as they are once again conscripted by the London Observer to eat at and review multiple restaurants. This time instead of driving through the foggy moors of Northern England, the duo drive their rented Mini Cooper through the sunny coasts of Italy. While doing so they once again trade witty repartee, relight professional rivalries and whip out their best Michael Caine impressions.

Its basically the same setup as the first only the location and power dynamic between our two leads is a bit more interesting. Coogan's star seems to have taken a dip since the cancellation of his American TV series. Meanwhile the less misanthropic Brydon is being courted by director Michael Mann for a billed part in a crime drama. Insecurities and the specter of aging into obsolescence abounds in this sequel, and the Italian countryside and tales of the Romantics serve beautifully as a stark juxtaposition.

Director Michael Winterbottom takes every opportunity to indulge in the sun and scenic poetry of Italy. As the characters retrace the steps of the romantics, Winterbottom takes delight in lifting visual cues from mainstay international cinema such as the bumpy road trips of Il Sorpasso (1962), the luxurious schooners of Purple Noon (1960) and the general feeling of ennui from La Dolce Vita (1960). As the film wears on, the actors become entrenched in a background literally alive with history, unable to make their pithy comments take you out of the beauty (though it's not for lack of trying.

Yet the same things that bogged down The Trip from being the best version of itself are still purposely present in Trip to Italy. There are the same insufferably self-centered characters, the same conversations and improvisational impressions, the same inattention to the freaking food! Seriously, I realize that oafish behavior set against the truly beautiful is partially the point but how do you NOT make Italian food the center of attention? Thankfully the two surly actors have much more to interact with. Actresses Marta Barrio and Rosie Fellner actually show up to dinner instead of being relegated to bits of cellphone asides. Steve's son (as played by Timothy Leach) shows up as well allowing us to see how two middle-aged men in a perpetual existential crises handle being around a child for a few minutes.

Overall Trip to Italy is in my mind a smidgen better than its predecessor and only because it trades temperate gloom for Mediterranean sunniness. But if you're the type who finds the fields, fog and verdant bluffs of England more appealing then the opposite might be true for you. Regardless, your ability to take this trilogy (so far) is wholly dependent on your ability to stomach two actors winging-it while sitting across from one another. I personally found my patience eroding by the minute.

After laughing along with Brydon and Coogan savaging their own vanities and all of life around them, I found some of the reviews here to be more comical than the film. It's as if "The Trip to Italy" totally escapes them, probably much to the two main actors' amusement. The beauty of the ridiculous and sometimes lame impressions belies that the two are not trying to be serious travel/food hosts but two comics riffing on the idiocy of the business they are in .. and much more. This is satire, not some boring Anthony Bourdain exploration of food and culture. It's two goofy guys making fun of themselves. That so many people miss that simple point boggles my mind.

Michael Winterbottom's insight behind The Trip was to simply put Brydon and Coogan together in front of the camera and let them get on with it; despite reservations by the pair, the instinct was the correct one. The Trip to Italy picks up where The Trip leaves off - food, scenery, and the on-screen chemistry, a bromance/rivalry, between Brydon and Coogan. Again, Brydon manages to find an opportunity for his set-piece, his 'man-in-the-box' voice. In some ways, it's reminiscent of the on-screen chemistry on the Top Gear 'road trips' (another TV show that relies upon middle-aged men playing versions of themselves), but the humour is kinder, more clever; less juvenile. Badinage perhaps, rather than banter. Light-hearted, overall it works even if, at times, it starts to become self-indulgent.

Wonderful film that gets better every time I watch it. Touching, poignant and hilarious. Puzzled by spate of poor IMDb reviews but suspect that some Cougan fans might not be familiar with the persona he plays in this film: a self obsessed, angst ridden clinging to Hollywood star called Steve Cougan. Or maybe they just like Jason Statham movies, which this is not. I love the locations, the gentle but ridiculous plot twists around Brydon, the anecdotes of Byron and Shelley, chats on ageing, air of melancholia at the end of each episode and the hilarious attempts to out do each other on vocal imitations of stars of yesteryear. I loved The Trip and I love The Trip to Italy. Don't expect action, just sit back, indulge and enjoy.

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.

I was hesitant taking another trip w/ Steve and Rob in that I so much loved the first film and thought this film might be a letdown and was never going to expectations set by the first film. No need for worries, this film was just as good, just as funny and better still, both Steve and Rob have remained (aside from Coogan's haircut) them old selves, changing little from when we left them in Northern England, a perfect mixture of affability and arrogance, quick witted, sometimes to the point of absurdity, sprinkled with a tinge of melancholy.

If you love British humour, travel & beautiful scenery, fine food, movies, literature and poetry, and beautiful women......(pretty much all things worth living for)... than this is the movie to watch.

Steve: (looking at a beautiful hotel receptionist walking past) She's has a lovely gait.

Rob: Yes, probably padlocked.

Hilarious!

I'm a huge fan of Michael Winterbottom's work which is fully on display in this modest travel journal of two friends discovering the joys of Italy. Steve Coogan & Rob Brydon, the friends in question, I'll admit are an acquired taste; one that I've not yet...acquired. I kept resisting the urge to just mute the sound so I didn't have to listen to their inane, extremely irritating, babblings was only because Strauss and Mahler were used expertly on the soundtrack. And who would want to miss that? The food, the scenery and an undefined longing are all very appealing. But the self-centered mugging by the two, which we're clued to think is adorable by women, I just think needs a warning to any viewer. Try to shut them out. 'Cause they never shut up.

Apart from the beautiful scenery, and a couple of chuckles, this was boring. Normally I enjoy these guys, but this just doesn't work. Watching two mates eating, and doing impressions every five minutes, with an attempt at being funny thrown in, was embarrassing. I was hoping for more views of an amazing journey, but was left feeling short changed in that department. Whilst both Rob and Steve are very clever in their own right, this union seemed more of a challenge to outdo each other. I thought this would be more of a documentary type of movie, but sadly I was mistaken. If you're die hard fans of the duo, I guess this is for you.

This is a real smart movie.. Taking your rhythm and anxiety to a very peaceful zone, restore your serinity.. I admit, it's a bit boring.. But this is the idea.. Sort of relaxation you should surrender to the stream and give up your regular thoughts about love, sex, excitement, show Biz, etc.. Just let the sun shine on your face. I encourage to make it series movies, but don't be so specific in the dialogue to movie biz, make it more rich to suit other people and different occasions.. Maintain the slow rhythm and ambience.. No music is a good idea.. Nature and scenes are suburb and sufficient glamorous.. Great GREAT!! I FOUND MYSELF PAYING FULL ATTENTION DURING THE PLAY..

Lots of people like to accuse Adam Sandler of making movies just for the vacation (something I think he has admitted), but what if he got his friends together to make a travelogue-style film in which they visit several restaurants and famous locations while riffing on art, literature and pop culture? Add some British accents and you might end up with something like THE TRIP TO ITALY, which (of course) is much more intelligent than almost anything Sandler has been in. A sequel to 2010's THE TRIP (which, incidentally, I haven't seen yet), Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon return as fictionalized versions of themselves for a trip through the Italian countryside. There is honestly a lot to appreciate here, as long as you're not expecting a formal narrative. First, you have the beautiful natural scenery and on-location shooting. There is also a number of scenes which showcase the finest of Italian cuisine, which foodies should like very much. Although not as focused on the food as something like THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY, I wouldn't recommend watching this film on an empty stomach either. But most importantly, you have two excellent British comedians goofing off with each other for a couple of hours, and the chemistry between them is pretty amazing. The one promotional clip I remember seeing was both of them doing an impression of Michael Caine, and making fun of Christian Bale's and Tom Hardy's voices in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. That actually takes place fairly early on in the film, but the references to other films (a lot of them set or shot in Italy) rarely lets up. There was also lots of references to Lord Byron and Percy Shelley. However, in contrast to the many scenes of witty banter, there are some quieter moments where they are apart from each other and you get a sense of what their characters are like in those kinds of situations, but for me those just weren't as interesting and seemed a little bit like padding. Overall, while the narrative is a bit amorphous, in that it just begins and ends without any clear trajectory other than getting to the six different locations, the film is enjoyable for the journey rather than the destination. You get to spend a couple of hours with two really funny men and get to see a lot of Italy in the process. It's nothing really profound, but sometimes you just need to take a vacation and have a good time.

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. 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.

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. where he plays two roles imitating a conversation with the preserved dead body).

One might predictably anticipate the journeys will come across as food pornography, which is true, they are munificently treated with the exquisite gastronomic delights, but stingily, the films never even try to dig into their reactions of the delicacies they are contently devouring, all tends to give the inkling that they are less gourmands than gourmets (or maybe it is all in their commissioned reviews, cannot be divulged for the sake of the copyright). Instead, every meal time conversation downgrades into a stale performance of impressions, which is mind-numbingly frustrating if one is not really into its cultural soul.

As an improvised faux-documentary, there is a resilient fraternity between Coogan and Brydon, which also undergoes a certain transition through the journey, in THE TRIP, one can detect Coogan's condescending pose towards Brydon, not overt, but considering their different career-orbit, Coogan is considerably more successful than Brydon in the showbiz. At first, Coogan constantly dismisses and refuses to cooperate with Brydon's impressions as he said "I don't do impressions!". But during the detour where they shortly visit Coogan's parents, they convivially confirms that impression is also what their son's trump card. Moreover, Winterbottom instills this judgmental discrepancy in their final destinations, Coogan wistfully returns to his empty modern flat with French windows while Brydon is happily back to his homely companion of his wife and new-born baby girl.

Whereas in THE TRIP TO ITALY, their rapport is more or less based on an equal ground, notably this time, the invitation is sent by Brydon, a brief encounter with no-string-attach benefit finally occurs to Brydon this time, and he also gets an important role in a Michael Mann film during this trip (while in the prequel, Steve is offering a leading role in an American series but he is hesitate to take it). But basically the two films are in the exact same mode, driving, impersonating, dining, impersonating, occasionally flirting-leads-to- sex-and-followed-by-morning-after-remorse, meeting friends, impersonating, sightseeing, etc. etc. Literature reference is also the accompanying dessert on the way, Samuel Coleridge in the Northern Britain, Byron and Mary Shelley in Italy.

The films are pleasant to watch in most of its time, a fly-on-the-wall presentation of splendid scenery which often interrupted by casual jabbering and food is served with fleeting kitchen scenes, also sporadically Winterbottom brings some odd dream sequences, one of which has a Ben Stiller cameo.

Due to the love of Italy (both the cuisine and the view can undeniably pale Northern Britain in comparison) and Alanis Morissette, I give an edge to the sequel eventually. But after all, between "THE" and "TRIP" in their titles, there is an invisible "EGO" hidden there, which will betray itself as quickly as possible in its hedonistic undercurrent.

If anybody is familiar with either of this pair, The Trip To Italy is really a must see series/film. The first instalment from these two, The Trip, which was set in the Lake District was initially a series & then released widely as a film. This new version is much of the same, and as the title suggests, yes you've guessed it, sees this clever duo wining & dining in some great Italian locations. The series is very easy to watch, clever, witty, and with superb impressions, but most of all the on screen chemistry this pair have is what makes the show. They bounce off each other perfectly, & in terms of great on screen pairings, they are right up there with some of the best. I honestly can't recommend this enough, i have scored it a nine, simply because i have only watched the opening two episodes, but if it carries on in the same form, it will be getting a big fat Ten !!

Top Class Telly.

Rob Brydon invites Steve Coogan on another food tour commissioned by The Observer. Steve is on hiatus from his American show and decides to go along with the Italian trip. Steve is off alcohol. They discuss the lives and work of Shelley and Byron. The married Rob has a fling with British ex-pat Lucy (Rosie Fellner). They eat a lot of pasta and sing along to Alanis Morissette. They do a lot of impressions both good and bad, all comical. Rob has an audition for a minor role in an American movie. They are joined by Steve's assistant Emma (Claire Keelan) and later on, his son.

I liked the first movie 'The Trip'. I'm not familiar with Brydon and I only know Coogan from his movies. In the first movie, there are obvious moments of a written story but it's the charm of an easy friendship that is truly compelling. It's not real but I get a sense that it could be a version of reality. This one starts in a similar space with impressions of Michael Caine. Coogan is a little sour but ragging on Tom Hardy as Bane seems to help. The movie goes a bit wonky when Rob starts flirting with Lucy. The moment he cheats on his wife and little girl is when the movie struggled for me. The easy charm of the original becomes a highly fictionalize drama. The problem is that there isn't enough drama for it to be compelling. There is a difference between two friends hanging out and two fictional characters hanging out. I prefer the fictional characters to do something.

I loved the first series and was over the moon when I heard that these comedy legends were getting together again.

They work so well together and in my opinion bring out the best in each other. The fact that they play a slightly altered version of themselves is so clever and so believable that I'm certain some viewers will be entirely taken in by some of the racier elements of the story. In fact I'm sure both actors will have had some quite serious discussions with their families to set the record straight.

Loved the scenery, the real sense of Italy, the fabulous foods and above all the hilarious back-and-forth between Rob and Steve.

Can't wait for the next series!

I adored the original 'Trip' but was disappointed with this sequel (which I watched in the form of the original episodes). Part of what made The Trip so compelling was the tension between the characters. Coogan could barely stand to be in Brydon's company. That tension has all but disappeared here, robbing the conversation of its edge. At times it's almost indistinguishable from what I imagine an actual travel documentary with Brydon and Coogan would be like.

The homely character of The Trip is lost. Italy is fabulous but it overwhelms the unassuming plot. The beautiful theme song of The Trip is used inconsistently and jarringingly. Every time it is played it forces barely existent pathos where before it had heightened it.

This may sound like a complaint that it wasn't a repeat of the first series but my point is that the elements that made it so charming are gone and aren't replaced with anything. The imitations lose their novelty and the viewer experiences the irritation with Brydon that Coogan experienced in the first series.

I was so disappointed as I have liked Steve Cougan's previous work. The movie tried to give the impression that the dialogue between Cougan and Brydon was spontaneous but came over as completely premeditated and precisely scripted so it lost all credibility. The dialogue -- especially the very good impressions by Brydon -- we so overdone and self serving they became tedious and we both were looking at our watches after 40 minutes. I hardly laughed at this comedy; the shots of the food and scenery were stunning but were too fleeting to add value to the plot.

Too many in-jokes and poetry/movie-aficionado references only heightened the impression that the movie is a self- serving Ego-trip.

Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon reprise their roles as (respectively) "Steve Coogan" and "Rob Brydon" for the third time, following "Tristram Shandy: a Cock and Bull Story", and "The Trip": they play slightly caricatured versions of themselves, seeking constantly to one-up each other with their mastery of verbal dexterity and mimicry. "Coogan", the more successful actor, tries to keep "Brydon" in his place, and "Brydon" shows no willingness to stay there. Underneath all the banter, the two are given to insecurities and intimations of mortality. The scenery, the food, and the women are gorgeous, and the duo partake of it all: the arrival of "Coogan"'s PA, and his "son", bring the film (and, one supposes, the series) to a surprisingly relaxed and companionable close. Altogether, it's been a splendid journey.

Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon are on the road again with director Michael Winterbottom, this time in Italy. There's not much else to say about the plot of "The Trip to Italy" unless you're unfamiliar with 2010's "The Trip," in which case go watch that movie first. Not because you need to know information about the first, but you need to know where the whole shtick is coming from.

"Trip to Italy" is more impersonations, more gorgeous scenery (the Amalfi Coast, seriously …), more plated food, more phone calls to loved ones back home, more poetry, more everything from the northern England "trip." It's a formula that worked the first time because of the wild improvisational talents of its leads but also the way they stay grounded. By and large it works here, only the novelty has worn off a bit.

Story-wise, Winterbottom has flipped the script in a couple subtle but key ways, starting with Rob calling Steve to invite him to Italy as he's become the food writer now, or at least equal with Steve. This is the first of many role-reversals in store for the fictional versions of Rob and Steve, whose lives have clearly changed since the last trip. Although these persona narratives are shifting, they're still as goofy, chummy, career-focused and fixated on their age and legacies as ever.

Mortality is a particular focus of conversation. Aging, their sex appeal, what they might still accomplish before their deaths – their time in Vesuvius, for example, leaves them "petrified" as Rob jokes. Winterbottom definitely steers the dialogue in this direction more purposefully than last time, but Steve and Rob keep it lighthearted and enjoyable while still allowing for some salient ideas to emerge.

The comedy stays the course as well, with a number of callbacks to jokes from the first film including brief Michael Caine bits and James Bond impressions. In most comedy sequels, that would be annoying, cheap and a sign of a terrible cash-grabbing middle finger to the audience who deserves some original material. But "The Trip" resembled a real-life road trip and when two friends go on a second trip together, they often recall the jokes that gave them a laugh and good memories the last time.

We do get some new impersonations and quite a bit of Alanis Morrisette karaoke, the least fitting backdrop for a tour of Italia as you could ever imagine. The laugh-out-loud moments get a bit scarcer and the impersonations a bit more grating – though in fairness I did watch "The Trip" very recently so those who've taken a longer hiatus won't likely feel the same.

"The Trip to Italy" loses a bit of comic luster as sequels tend to do, but the feeling of being on a road trip vacation that made "The Trip" so pleasant washes over you yet again. The ending leaves a bit to be desired but on the whole it's a satisfying continuation of the antics and style that fans of "The Trip" effortlessly enjoyed.

~Steven C

Thanks for reading. Visit Movie Muse Reviews for more

As with their first "The Trip", I've had ambivalent feelings about these Coogan/Brydon travel/food/comedy serials. This new series follows much of the first.

If you loved the first, that's good news. But the program is a mixed bag to where you really have to call out the good and the bad.

First, the good. Coogan and Brydon have a great personal chemistry that comes off in the series as something unscripted. The locations are gorgeous, and the soundtrack adds to the grandeur of place. The series is also somewhat groundbreaking in introducing a genre of travel-food- comedy, which has its merits.

The restaurants featured in the series are researched and quite extraordinary. And the literary trail of the likes of Byron and Shelley add a cultural relevance to the program where, I would have to say, I would enjoy partaking in such a Magical Mystery Tour myself.

Next, the bad. If you removed the impersonations of Michael Caine, Sean Connery, etc., 70% of the program would be on the cutting room floor. There are few themes of humor in the program, and they are mercilessly beaten to an absolute pulp. Can you imagine spending a week-long vacation in Italy with a friend who basically ran the same gag everywhere you went?

This makes the program the Beavis & Butthead of the BBC set. If the gag gets old or doesn't work for you, the show has little else to offer you besides a few good visual scenes with the sound turned off.

Like the Magical Mystery Tour, the show's arc comes off as rather aimless and without a real destination. If the joy is in the travel, and some of it is, that would be one thing. But if there's no joy in bad impersonation banter of actors from years gone by, there's too much to redeem itself.

As a whole, the program offers glimpses of creative ideas and possibilities while failing to execute to their potential. Injecting an actual scriptwriter might have seemed anathema to the program's vision and goals, but there are few programs I've seen this year that so sorely could have improved with just one decent writer.