THE TRIP TO SPAIN – A Review by John Strange
In 2010, Keith Coogan was hired for a road trip through Northern England sampling the dishes of various regions and writing about it for UK's Observer. He invited his friend, comedian Rob Brydon, to come with him. They made a multi-episode TV show as well as the feature film. In 2014, they repeated the format with a trip to Italy.
In each of these trips, which now include the new trip to Spain, the duo have joked and eaten their way from stop to stop. Discussions are liberally spiced with voice impersonations and funny anecdotes. Nothing is safe from their discussions.
The food and the locations are the prime focus of the film but they are spiced with the personalities and personal problems and challenges of the two men and the people and problems they encounter along the way. Most of these encounters are friends or family who come out to join the men for a time.
Steve and Rob don't play characters, it is just them. They talk about their work, their agents and their various projects, past and future. They drive and talk, and then eat and talk, and occasionally they call home and talk to family and friends. But through it all, they talk… a lot!
The Trip To Spain is not a film for those of you looking for action and bloodshed. This is a film that is part travelogue and part comedy with a smattering of drama spliced in to give us a greater appreciation of the other two parts. This is a film for fans of British humor and good impressions. I really enjoyed it!
Directed by: Michael Winterbottom
Cast: Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon, Marta Barrio, Claire Keelan
MPAA Rating: NR
Selig Rating: A
Runtime: 115 Min.
The Selig Rating Scale:
A – Excellent movie, well worth the price.
B – Good movie
C – OK movie
D – No need to rush. Save it for a rainy day.
F – Good that I saw it on the big screen but wish I hadn't paid for it.
