The Trip to Italy

Good grief, our lads can find laughter walking through the ruins of Pompei. When together they have no shame.

Director Michael Winterbottom has brought us a gem of a new film in The Trip to Italy. The cinematography is spectacular, and the scenery where our boys travel in a Mini Cooper from Rome to Naples to the Amalfi Coast will melt your heart.

However, it is the raucous good humor of our two stars, Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, that will leave you hysterically laughing. Quick witted and marvelous mimics, it is hard to name a Hollywood star, living or dead, that they can’t impersonate. In particular, wait until you see the moment where our boys are dueling with Michael Caine impressions while enjoying an exquisite lunch.

Equally important, their wit and knowledge of movie history makes this film a movie lover’s dream. You find yourself repeatedly trying to suppress laughter so that you don’t miss the next diabolical exchange.

Further, while eating a delicious game squad, watch for their discussion about facing starvation following a plane crash in the Andes. What follows is a challenging debate on the subject of dying while paralyzed from the waist down. The question posed is, “Would you eat my legs to survive?”

On top of that, wait until you see the food served to our boys at various five-star restaurants. The purpose of their trip is to describe these moments, and I would strongly advise all of you to avoid eating popcorn. Please be warned that you are likely to be hunting down an Italian restaurant as you leave the theater.