The Trip to Greece

"The Trip To Greece" completes an intriguing, delicious and hilarious series of films wearing its heart on its sleeve. . In this comedy, Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan travel from Troy to Ithaca following in the footsteps of the Odysseus in this final film of the series. . Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon are a pair of excellent leads really playing off each other; you can't help but be in good company while watching them. The food is mouth-watering, the scenery is beautiful and the gags never get old. If you haven't seen this series of British films now is the time. I absolutely loved it. . Follow @snobmedia for more reviews!

Greetings again from the darkness. Now is either the absolute best time to release this movie, or it's the worst. During a pandemic with directives to stay home, you would be excused for classifying a cinematic travel trip by funny buddies as either a harsh prank or a welcome fantasy. Director Michael Winterbottom is back for his fourth film in the franchise featuring wise-cracking pals Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. The first three were: THE TRIP (2010), THE TRIP TO ITALY (2014), and THE TRIP TO SPAIN (2017), and each were edited into feature films from their respective BBC Television series.

The players remain the same, as does the formula. Only the location provides a change-up. Beginning in Turkey near the historical site of Troy, complete with the photo op at the Trojan Horse monument, Coogan and Brydon are on a 6 day assignment to cover (mostly) the 10 year journey of Odysseus in Homer's "The Odyssey." The symmetry is noted in the film as this marks the tenth year since they first began traveling together.

The men make their way to Stagira (now Macedonia), the birthplace of Aristotle, as well as Hydra, Athens, Delphi, and Ithaca. Of course, at each destination, the boys stop for a ridiculously upscale gourmet meal at a world class restaurant that features a breathtaking view. It's during these savory meals, and in the car during the trip, and well, just about any other time, Coogan and Brydon continue their never-ending game of one-upsmanship. Impersonations, punchlines, and spirited verbal sparring are all done with the hope of making the other person laugh, or admit defeat. While the Michael Caine impersonation never makes an appearance, we do get dueling Mick Jaggers and Dustin Hoffmans, as well as moments for Werner Herzog, Ray Winstone, and Barry Gibb/Bee Gees (with "Grease" and "Staying Alive").

Stunning scenery and historic locations provide ammo for some of the banter between the two comics, including whether Alexander the Great was an original gangster. However, there is also an underlying message here. The two argue over who should wear the respective masks of comedy and tragedy while they are on the hallowed grounds of an ancient Greek Theatre, and Coogan makes the point that "Originality is overrated. Everything is derivative." This commentary applies not just to their own "Trip" franchise, but also to many other elements of society.

Perhaps there are a few too many aerial shots of their Range Rover traveling down a road, but the back country is so beautiful, we can't complain. The same goes for those restaurants. Sure it's torture to watch as they enjoy delicious food, but the scenery is unique to their locale. As we wonder when, or even if, we will ever be able to travel the globe again, perhaps the best lesson here is to value our time with friends and loved ones. A personal crisis is used for this series finale, though it also leaves us with the proclamation that that these trips have been "Mostly fun and games." So, "already enjoy."

I kind of enjoyed the other two movies in the series. These two actor friends are visiting a foreign country, eating the best foods, making fun of each other and competing with each other in trivia and acting impersonations and sometimes insulting each other with great gusto. Meanwhile, there is a very serious undercurrent of who they really are as people and how they handle real life situations.

I liked Trip to Greece, too, don't get me wrong, but it felt like it missed a lot of what could have been. There was the food, which was only seen in passing, they never really discuss it. Then there were the impersonations, much more than in the other movies, but also more obscure. Without knowing what they are referring to, they missed their mark with me. And then there was a really important personal thing at the end of the film, that not only cuts their trip short, but has the potential to show how the characters really feel about each other in times of trouble. I get that the actors are not great buddies in real life and they do play themselves, so probably it wouldn't have been very emotional in reality, either, and they are also British, so there, but it was a movie opportunity missed. And it was the director's choice: "Funnily enough, I did a version where I was very emotional. I wept as I would when I re-emulated some of those scenes. Then Michael wanted me to do it again and just hold it all back". And if you really want to ask, the movie is inspired by reality, but the event did not happen during filming.

Bottom line: the series was both refreshing and easy to watch and this is the last one they are going to make. I personally feel that they should do another movie, just to end the series right. As it stands, one could watch the films in any order, with perhaps the exception of the first which explains the setup. I enjoyed this the least of the four, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

The Trip to Greece has several stunning off the beaten path locales and avoids touristy spots even if important - such as the Acropolis. In addition this film is also quite entertaining. It's well worth a watch.

THE TRIP TO GREECE is a poignant and hilarious meditation on life -- art, family, friendship, history, success and struggles and aging, and death -- that follows formula. By now, audiences ought to be familiar with the central conceit of these "trip" films: comedian friends Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon spend a week traveling a location and dining together. In transit, and over courses, they wax philosophical and compete over comedy and their careers. Essentially, these films are about two men suffering their friendship with each other while life goes on around them -- there is always at least one important sub-plot happening back home that complicates their plans. That said, formulaic needn't imply stale, and this presumably final installment of the series is very self-aware, a fact which helps it justify itself. If you are unsold on these films, this isn't the one that will sell you, and if you are unfamiliar with them, I'd start with the original, obviously... but if you have enjoyed any of the previous trips, this one is also worth taking, as you can live vicariously through them in seeing some gorgeous sights and savory dishes, especially now.