The Trip to Spain (2017) film review

Year: 2017
Running Time: 115 minutes
Director: Michael Winterbottom
Cast: Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon, Claire Keelan, Marta Barrio

The Trip to Spain will be released in Australia on August 3 (Madman Films) and the United States on August 11. 

As the third film in Michael Winterbottom's television-turned-film series, The Trip to Spain delivers exactly what it promises- more glorious food, stunning locations and hilarious celebrity impersonations.

The great thing about walking into The Trip to Spain is that you know exactly what you are expecting, as long as you have seen 2010's The Trip and 2014's The Trip to Italy. Britain's favourite comedy duo, Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon once again set off on another culinary tour, which this time takes them to Spain. Their latest venture is an absolute delight in the same nature as it's predecessors, with the exception of it's extremely odd and disappointing finale.

The Coogan and Brydon films are all edited from their original form of a six episode series made for British television. The films have never really been about the plot and while this may be a monstrosity in most feature films, it is an accepted and celebrated part of Winterbottom's films. There are themes and sub-plots moulded into the film which are welcomed and push the film along, but they are not the focal point of the film.

That being said, it does not excuse the extremely bizarre ending to this film. The unexplained last scene is so left-field and far removed from the tone of the rest of the film that it gives a sour last impression. This is such a shame as for the other 110 minutes, The Trip to Spain is as much fun as Coogan and Brydon have over their enviable lunches.

The partnership of Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon is, once again, comedic brilliance. The chemistry between the two is so natural and their conversational humour (which is largely improvised) is witty, smart, hilarious and completely unforced. As both The Trip and The Trip to Italy became infamous for the celebrity impressions Coogan and Brydon so frequently and accurately do, The Trip to Spain is stacked with these impressions. While many celebrities make appearances in the men's conversations that have previously been there (including Michael Caine, Anthony Hopkins and Roger Moore), there are some new additions that are just as funny such as  Mick Jagger and Ian McKellen among others.

The culinary delights and stunning Spanish landscapes are also highlights of the film. The six restaurants the two men visit all have incredible cuisine which photograph so well that they easily induce hunger in the viewer. The beautiful urban and rural Spanish towns which they visit are also shot beautifully and capture the charm and intrigue of the country.

The Trip to Spain is incredible fun and a delight to the senses. The hilarious conversations are memorable and do not lose their amusement long after the film has been seen, but in the same way the confusion and distaste for the finale also lingers.

7.5/10

The Trip to Italy (2014)

Year: 2014
Running Time: 108 minutes
Director: Michael Winterbottom
Writer: Michael Winterbottom
Cast: Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon

There are some films that just don't need a follow up and these ones are usually the films that get a less than adequate sequel. The Trip was not one of these films. It was the type of film that begged for another as you just couldn't get enough of it's two leading men, Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. The Trip To Italy is a wonderfully pleasing sequel that gives fans more of what they loved about the first film. The two friends may have changed in the past few years which in turn means the tone of the film differs slightly from the first, but there is plenty to love about The Trip to Italy including some fine cuisine and beautiful Italian landscape.

After 2010's trip of northern England, Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon are reunited to once again experience six culinary delights, but this time they are on a trip of Italy. The two travel through the country  and while dining at some of the best restaurants Italy has to offer, they discuss their lives and how things have changed since the first trip they took. However, their conversations are not all entirely deep and meaningful with there being plenty of comedic moments and no lack of impersonations.

What made The Trip successful is what makes The Trip to Italy successful, yet there are some elements which make it even more so. While the two actors play themselves, the screenplay is ultimately fictional and the dialogue brilliantly improvised. As one could expect from two comic actors such as Coogan and Brydon, the dialogue is extremely amusing and funny. Whilst on their Italian culinary road trip, the two have several memorable conversations including, but are not limited to Alanis Morrisette's album, "Jagged Little Pill" which is their soundtrack of choice and  poet's Byron and Shelley. The impersonations both Coogan and Brydon do throughout the film are just superb. Once again Michael Caine makes an appearance and other notable impersonations are of The Dark Knight Rises and The Godfather casts.

The Trip to Italy isn't your typical sequel and doesn't entirely feel as though it should be given the tag of being a sequel, yet it is a very welcome one. The large majority of sequels these days come from blockbusters which bring in the big dollars at the box office. Both The Trip and the Trip to Italy are films which are largely based on conversation and comedy and are unconventional in their storytelling. The chemistry between Coogan and Brydon and the brand of comedy they brought to the screen in The Trip was so brilliant that it is a real treat to see all this again in The Trip to Italy. There are some features of the first film which have been resurrected and expanded upon for the second film (eg. the Michael Caine impersonations) and ultimately the two are very similar films. However, The Trip to Italy is perhaps a little more of an emotional journey for the two leading men and takes on a greater back story than the first. While this is a good thing as it adds more to the storytelling aspect of the film and makes the characters more relatable, it doesn't give an ongoing commitment to this new depth and the ending leaves the audience feeling as if they should know more.

The aesthetics of this film are enviable in the best possible way. Coogan and Brydon's trip takes them to six restaurants in some amazing locations throughout Italy. These restaurants produce some amazing cuisine which are visually incredible and it doesn't take much of an imagination to admit that the food must taste as amazing as what it looks. Next to Coogan and Brydon the third star of the film is indeed Italy. The panoramic shots of the Italian countryside and seaside are exquisite. The shots taken in Pompeii during the daytrip there show the historical abandoned city in such an interesting and loving light.

Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon have terrific chemistry on screen. The two work together so well and their amusing conversations flow wonderfully. The Trip to Italy is perhaps a tad more Brydon's film than Coogan's, as Brydon holds the majority of the comedic spotlight. Coogan's performance is more of an emotional one and in the brief emotional scenes, he does do well in them. There is no denying that both Coogan and Brydon are wonderful comedy actors and both The Trip and The Trip to Italy showcase their extraordinary ability to successfully improvise some extremely funny material and make it relevant to the scenario at hand.

The Trip to Italy is tremendously funny and a film so aesthetically pleasing that it is completely enviable. It is a very good follow up to the first film, but also a wonderful stand alone film.

8/10