On 26 March 2021, Netflix welcomed Bad Trip to our screens. With cinemas closed and not much else for us to do, the one way we can fill our time is through counting down and watching new films.

The film is a comedy and rated an age fifteen. It contains bad language, drug misuse, sex references, crude humour, and dangerous behaviour. It was brought to us by one of the producers of Bad Grandpa and provides a light-hearted laugh which we could all do with right now.

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For the hour and a half it’s on, we follow two best friends Chris (Eric Andre) and Bud (Lil Rey Howery) on their road trip from Florida to New York. This is in the hope of finding Chris’ high school sweetheart, Maria (Michaela Conlin), who he was reunited with while at work. We follow them on their journey and join them through their pranks, disasters, arguments, and raunchy moments. All of these elements add humour to the film.

At the start, the scenes are split up by music before the film kicks in. It then starts from a year later than where they were in the previous scenes. This is when we first meet the three main characters Chris (Eric Andre), Bud (Lil Rey Howery), and Trina (Tiffany Haddish). The first few scenes allow us to see a preview of their lives and background.

Accidents

Some of the things that they do are accidents you see coming. Others are gruesome, so if you don’t like blood, avoid the scene while he is at work. Occasionally, things that happen provide comedy from their stupidity.

First of all, we see Chris having all of his clothes stripped by the car wash vacuum just after his high school crush, Maria pulls up. This leaves him naked and hiding in the car for cover. Something you perhaps know is unrealistic, but makes you think just his luck!

When the film skips to a year later, we watch Chris meet Maria again at a different job in a smoothie bar. He then accidentally puts his hand in the blender resulting in blood splattering everywhere. Moments after this, we see him outside breaking into a song about how he is going to find Maria. Later, we see him singing in the mall – this provides a musical aspect to the film. Perhaps an unexpected one.

Comedy

In the current climate, we may find things ironic that we wouldn’t normally if it wasn’t for Covid-19. Particularly when we see Chris picking up the fruit for the customer’s smoothie with his bare hands. He then reassures the customer: “Germs actually help your immune system.” This is something we could never imagine hearing from a staff member, never mind while we’re in a pandemic.

Some things provide the audience with comedy from the stupidity of it. Especially when we watch Chris filling up the petrol and the hose can’t fit around the car and snaps off, which he then tries to cover up with his hands and stop the petrol from leaking out. One thing we all know we wouldn’t do while filling up.

During the film, they act out being high while walking around a crowded supermarket. Seeing them explore the store while laughing makes us join in. We sometimes can’t help smile when we see other people laughing.

Sadness

But at times it isn’t all laughing and joking. We sometimes feel sorrow for them.

Notably more when Chris opens up to the military recruiter about falling out with his best friend and expresses his depressive thoughts. The recruiter then reassures him that everyone has been in a bad place before, even him, and then continues to comfort him. However, this section of the scene brings a serious atmosphere. It is important that in a comedic film they can still talk about these important issues and raise awareness around mental health.

We empathise with Chris throughout his falling out with his best friend Bud, particularly when he walks around the street walking up to people who he thinks is him. Something we have all accidentally done before and is something that is no doubt relatable, but we perhaps weren’t as sad as Chris at the time. His excitement and happiness rose when thinks he’s seen his friend. But this is soon taken over by disappointment when he taps them and soon notices that it isn’t Bud.

If you’re into American comedy, this film is no doubt for you. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea with the staged pranks and hidden cameras, but with little to do right now, you might as well give it a try.

Courtney Davies

Featured image courtesy of Ben O’Bro via Unsplash. Image license is available here. No changes were made to this image. 

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