Starring: Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon, Clair Keelan, Rosie Fellner
Distributor: Madman Entertainment
Runtime: 103 mins. Reviewed in Jun 2014
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A sequel to 2010’s ‘The Trip’, this feature too has been edited down from a 3 hour television program commissioned by the BBC. Which is surprising, because like the instalment before it, ‘The Trip to Italy’ is wonderfully acted, achingly funny, unexpectedly reflective and a foodie’s dream to boot.
After the well-received results of their tour of northern England in the first film, friends Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon (playing fictionalised versions of themselves), embark on another journey at the behest of the Observer newspaper. This time round, they are sent to Italy, where they follow in the footsteps of the Romantic poets Shelley and Byron, through Liguria, Tuscany, Rome, Amalfi and Capri. Engaged in both fierce one-upmanship and firm friendship, the duo eat and talk their way through six great meals and countless hilarious topics.
The back and forth between our leads is consistently brilliant. At one meal, Brydon quips to Coogan: ‘I’m your enabler’, and it couldn’t be truer. With Brydon there as a capable and clever foil, Coogan’s responses are as quick as his wit. His performance has an edge of sadness to it, which reflects perfectly his pseudo-character’s obsession with fame and being more recognised than Rob. Excelling both at the meal tables and in the quiet time spent in his own room, Rob Brydon is the ideal complement to Coogan. More down to earth and approachable, his persona is cosier, and he is unafraid to endure embarrassment in the name of inducing laughter from other people in the diegetic frame and the audience. Moreover, Brydon still manages to uncover new facets of his identity for those familiar with the first film, when the pressures of his young family back in England begin to impact on him. The comedy – which is largely improvised – deals in physical gags, puns, cultural references, impersonations and screwball banter, and they are truly are masters of this significant range. Their impersonations move from Michael Caine and Al Pacino to Sean Connery and Michael Parkinson, with the pair’s impromptu rendition of a fictional appearance of Coogan on Parkinson’s chat show being a highlight. The other actors in the film play their roles very well also, especially Clair Keelan as Steve’s agent, and – just as in the first film – it took me until the credits to realise that they were not actually playing themselves like our two protagonists.
Michael Winterbottom’s veteran direction is both restrained and profound – he is happy to let the duo explore bizarre tangents until every ounce of humour is extracted, and always melds the light touches to deeper, philosophical musings to add gravitas to the otherwise bright and fluffy journey. The cinematography in this film has moved away from the foreboding darkness of England’s north in the first film to a much sunnier palette, and there are gorgeous shots on display, particularly of their sailing jaunt to the Bay of Poets. The work from cinematographer James Clark is just as fine when lensing the food itself, which drew actual groans of hunger from the audience I was in.
Our leads naturally discuss the ‘dolce vita’ throughout their travels in Italy, and a more apt description for the film could not be found. Both lightly sweet and brimming with rumination on life, this funny, heartfelt and well-acted odyssey is scrumptious from start to finish.
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