'Bad Trip' A Review

Bad Trip is a combination of narrative comedy and hidden camera "pranks" that follows best friends Chris(Eric Andre) and Bud(Lil Rey Howery) as Chris reconnects with an old high school crush, art curator Maria(Michaela Conlin), and the two go on a road trip from Florida to NYC to attend one of her openings. All the while pursued by Bud's unhinged convict sister Trina(Tiffany Haddish).

The tone is a bizarre, but shockingly effective, alchemy and Andre commits completely to his love-struck doof, his chemistry with Howery is low key and companionable, and his openness with the various normal people that are roped into various scenes is raw and often hilarious and occasionally offers some real hope. Howery approaches the role with the same understated confidence and humor we have come to expect from him, which is to say it is, as always, an absolute pleasure to watch him onscreen. He exudes this wry worldweariness that is magnetic. Haddish clearly relishes the opportunity to play the heavy, and she goes big, its clearly a joy for her and a joy for us to watch. But she also seems to enjoy the anonymity the role offers her which adds an interesting layer to the whole conciet. Conlin isn't given much screentime, much of the story is in pursuit of her so she is by nature elusive, but she's game and fun.

Unlike Borat or Jackass this is an actual narrative and the hidden camera element is used in service of the scenes not vice versa and as such it feels incredibly fresh and each scene has an electricity to it because the normal people within aren't following a script simply reacting yet the scenes almost always succeed with whatever plot delivery they need. It's quite daring and more effective than it has any right to be. And what's more the normal people that are ensnared in the film's story aren't belittled they are consistently shown as helpful and concerned for their fellows, its remarkable. The comedy hits, the action hits, and against all odds this kind of bizarre heartfelt story of friendship hits.

A unique evolution of the hidden camera film, an out there comedy with an emotional journey that never loses its way.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

See It.