The Trip to Italy

Starring: Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon
Directed By: Michael Winterbottom
Reviewed by Brendan Dousi

[Rating: 4/5]

Steve Coogan has been producing some inspired work lately, from last year’s delightful hit Philomena to his constant resurgences as his famed persona Alan Partridge; it seems that Coogan can do no wrong. After proving himself as strong a writer as he is a performer, as with the first film of this type, 2010’s The Trip, Coogan has put down the pen and left it to Writer/Director Michael Winterbottom to take the helm. One has to wonder, though, with a format and subject as loose as that seen in The Trip to Italy, was there really that much writing involved amongst the clear improvisation? Will Coogan continue to delight and impress audiences with his charm and wit, or will he prove that he’s best served with a more stringent and traditional script in place?

Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon play a dramatized version of themselves in the midst of dealing with the ups and downs of being middle aged men. They travel from one gorgeous piece of Italian scenery to the next, eating a meal in each lavish location. Liguria, Tuscany, Rome, Amalfi and Capri all serve as backdrops to the subtle dramas and issues unfolding in each of these men’s lives as they tackle the concepts of aging, infidelity, friendship, fatherhood and solitude all while trying to survive each other’s company. Will these two friends be able to help each other deal with their baggage or will the jealousy and bitterness between them build and leave nothing but a bad taste in their mouths?

It’s quite hard to summarise the plot of a film that doesn’t exactly have that much of a plot. More than anything, A Trip to Italy is an entertaining and delightful engagement with two seriously funny gentlemen as they travel from place to place sampling delectable food that will absolutely have you leaving the theatre craving any and every sort of pasta imaginable. The film is ultimately about the personal journeys of Steve and Rob as they each deal with their emotional baggage. It would be easy to see these journeys as tacked-on after-thoughts to what was otherwise a very good vacation, but they are handled with such tact and ease that you often find yourself questioning the fictional nature of this film. The lines of reality are blurred as you spend time with these men and feel so attached to them in an almost voyeuristic manner.

While the film itself is shot like a living post-card, it is more the performances of Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon that truly invite you in. The film is rife with such funny, naturalistic banter that you can’t help but be drawn to the two men before you. Sure, they are pretentious, upper-class, poetry-reciting, womanizing twats but they’re so damn magnetic and entertaining that any flaws in their character simply add to their charms. You may find yourself wondering why you should care so much about these privileged men and their straight, white, upper-class male problems but ultimately find that you care because these characters feel real and you like them. Something not all films can easily boast.

If you have ever had an inkling to visit Italy (let’s face it, who hasn’t?) prepare for your travel-bug to be set a-jitter. This film is a beautiful and delectable treat to the eyes and imagination while also being an affecting and entertaining character drama about two likeable, witty men who find themselves simply stumbling through life, just like the rest of us. As long as you remember to make those reservations at the Italian Restaurant for afterwards, The Trip to Italy is a wonderful change of pace for anyone looking for something a little simpler but still very high in quality.