A Viagem

I have no doubt that this film would not have been shown at my local cinema which is why I have only just seen it. This is a shame because I thought that this was a very good film.

It is both a very touching film and also a very funny film with some very sensitive acting from Larry Sullivan and Steve Braun who receive some very good support, most notably from Sirena Irwin and Jill St John, but also from Alexis Arquette, Ray Baker and Dennis Bailey.

It was also both interesting and a very elucidating idea to show the various stages of the life of their relationship against a backdrop of the (gay) politics of the time.

I think that it was a shame that I missed it but a much bigger shame that my local cinema would not have run this type of film as it was of a much higher caliber than some of the pulp that they do show (and I don't refer here to the type or genre of the film but to the acting and production values).

I'm well into my mid-30s, and grew up during the age of Reagan and AIDS, which I mention in critiquing this wonderful film, as the lone value of growing up during the 80s was that EVERYTHING became political, and such a setting does teach the value of context.

And in this light, this is a baby-boomer film, the product of a generation older than myself. It's also a moving human drama - a great piece of American indie film that deserves something greater than 'niche' marketing - expressing the history of a movement and the people behind it (in some ways at least) as a living thing, not something read from a history book. Setting up the story as a romantic comedy of sorts, THE TRIP includes classic themes (road movies, which themselves are often modern recastings of ever-valid mythology) as it sweeps from the pre-Watergate 70s to the late 1980s. Incorporating news footage and topical references (seen previously in films as trite as FORREST GUMP, or as brilliant as WEST BEIRUT) marks the passage of time, and offers the maturation of gay politics and philosophy as an ever-present backdrop, and the very short - and touching - final scene, in both symbolic and literal fashion, makes clear the aim of a film like this: to entertain, but also communicate the lessons and truths of a culture across generations. THE TRIP does this beautifully, never falling into didacticism, and it's faith in honest humanity never wavers.

Some remarkable performances - Julie "I Like 'Em Big & Dumb" Brown makes a hysterical appearance, and Alexis Arquette's supporting role is entertaining as well. As a director, Swain is solid in his control of the material, and has a knack (reminiscent of John Sayles) for giving ordinary human settings meaning and not overlooking small details. Like Sayles, he's very un-flashy, preferring a sweet intelligence that lingers long afterwards.

This movie presents the zeitgeist of gay history post-Hippie through the early-AIDS era. It pans this period in a Forrest Gump-esque fashion: intermixing the romantic plot between the main characters with brief moments from the national plight of gays & lesbians (like the Anita Bryant crusade, Harvey Milk's assassination, losing loved ones to AIDS). As a GenX'er I found this to help personalize something which I have only read about in GLBT history classes. I'm sure it will be "the trip" down memory lane for those guys 40-something and older. Brilliantly written script, excellent acting. If you're looking for a good snuggle movie to watch with your next boy friend, partner, trick, whomever -- this is a must see.

It is unfortunate that the mass media operate as though those of us who enjoy this film do not exist. So, we instead get, excuse my French, a bunch of crap. If John Kerry can indeed change America for the better then getting this and similar films screened on a mass scale would be worth adding to the list of changes needed. "The Trip" begins and ends innocently touching your mind. It does this first by getting you to care about the characters, to like them or to loathe them, and then by the inclusion of David Mixner (ingenious) and Jill St. John (watch the extra features on the dvd for some of her FUNNIEST work!). Their appearance adds flavor and spice to a fresh young cast including the very talented Steve Braun and Larry Sullivan. I was engrossed in every moment. I believe it helped that many involved were, in some cases, re-living some of their own life moments (read: writer/director/exec. producer Miles Swain). Well made, touching, engrossing. What more could a director- ask for? It almost gives you the same feeling as "Big Eden" but without the scripted ending. Kudos, and thank you Miles.

Considering the tremendous challenges which face today's independent film company, it's always encouraging when one comes along that manages to make a some sort of statement. "The Trip" offers two attractive leads (Larry Sullivan and Steve Braun) and supports, along with some nice scenery and photography.

While the actual road trip doesn't occur until well over half of the film's running time, the title may also suggest the lengthy relationship of the two leads.

Even so, there's something which seems slightly off-balance in the way of formal structure and focus to the proceedings. So much action takes place--even by years --before the actual road trip begins, that its theme becomes a bit vague.

One part of the difficulty may be the lack of close perspectives of the two leads to set them apart from all the other action. We're kept at such a distance that it's hard to really get into their relationship and fathom it as a true focal point of this comedy-drama. In a way it reminds me of another "road" film, "Y Tu Mama Tambien," and the black comedy, "In the Company of Men," in which the camera likewise remains at a distance.

Still, there are engaging moments in "The Trip," allowing one to feel for the leading pair by the end. Writer-director Mike Swain obviously gave it good effort on limited budget and succeeded in making a statement that apparently touched some people.