Move over "Bridesmaids" and "Trainwreck" for "Girls Trip"

July 19th, 2017 Posted by Review 0 thoughts on “Move over "Bridesmaids" and "Trainwreck" for "Girls Trip"”

GirlsTripTeaserPoster

If you think “Girls Trip,” the newest female friend film starring Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, and TIffany Haddish, is just another version of “Rough Night,” you’re sorely mistaken.  This is actually really funny!  Although it’s jaw-droppingly raunchy, the situations and absolutely hilarious creating a wonderful escape and a fun night out.

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE

Ryan (Hall), Sasha (Latifah), Lisa (Smith), and Dina (Haddish) are lifelong friends from college, but as the years pass, their lives go in different directions and their bond is weakened.  Ryan, a successful author married to her business partner, Stewart (Mike Colter), is asked to be the key note speaker at the Essence Festival in New Orleans.  Missing her girlfriends, aka the Flossy Posse, she invites them to join her.  It becomes a weekend of revelation, debauchery, and most importantly, reconnecting with her friends.gt1
“Girls Trip” introduces us to four very different women with whom you will be able to identify with one of them. Ryan is uptight yet the envy of every woman.  She’s strong, beautiful, and seemingly “has it all.”  There’s an underlying rift between she and Sasha, the talented journalist who has sunk into the trenches of celebrity gossip writing, which sets the group on edge.  Lisa, the mother of two who lives at home with her mom and has been out of touch with men for quite some time gives these girls a project on their trip:  help Lisa dust off her cobwebs and have some fun.  But then we have the true queen of the group—Dina.  Her spark is more like a nuclear bomb as shgt2e verbally and sometimes physically decimates anyone who upsets her or messes with her friends.
While there are many subplots to the film, the driving force of the story is that Ryan’s friends find out her husband is cheating on her.  Attempting to still enjoy the weekend, these women get themselves kicked out of hotels, party like they’re back in college, dance-fight, and “dust off a few cobwebs.”
“Bridesmaids” and “Trainwreck,” move over—there’s a new kid in town.  This is absolutely the raunchiest/best/funniest girlfriend movie to date.  With sexual situations and demonstrations, full frontal male nudity, and female competitiveness, the over-the-top, uproariously new take on how women interact is simply spectacular.  Perhaps a few situations were borrowed from other films and then tweaked to fit this film, but that works.  For example, there’s not one women out there that can’t relate to bladder issues and yes, bodily function humor, just like in “Bridesmaids” in the diarrhea scene, makes you laugh so hard you might have related issues!
This is a total escapism movie.  To its detriment, it’s very predictable and sometimes sappy, but so was “The Hangover” (1,2,and 3) and given the number of sequels, these aspects didn’t impede that film’s popularity.  “Girls Trip” is a comedy and it most certainly succeeds in this category.  It also succeeds in casting four very talented, powerful women as the leads and it doesn’t shy away from allowing these women to express themselves in whatever way their characters’ personalities should.  However, I’m somewhat concerned that the world will now know about Nordstrom’s remarkable return policy now.   With three female writers and one male, it’s obvious that this group just let loose and had some fun writing the script.
Hall is simply stunning in her role.  She’s conflicted on many levels, just like many women, trying to truly “have it all.”  Hall’s performance typifies how we lose ourselves, slowly, not realizing it until we have become someone else.  She exudes confidence one moment, only to let down her guard the next and reveal her true self.  While Latifah and Smith balance this group’s personality, it is Haddish’s performance as the foul-mouthed, exaggerated wild friend Dina that steals the show.  Her ability to spew fast-paced hilarious descriptions in any situation leaves you laughing with your jaw agape, shocked at what you just heard.
Given that these four women are Black certainly is an aspect of the film.  They are attending the Essence Festival for Black women.  This provides a few humorous situations to arise such as the white agent, Elizabeth (Kate Walsh) attempting to use what she feels are appropriate Black colloquialisms to be a part of the group.  Addressing these boundaries in such an open way is refreshing and never takes away from the focus which is as women, there is no bond like our friendship.
“Girls Trip” is a new spin on raunchy girlfriend movies filled with gut-bustingly funny situations.  While it is predictable, the film makes up for it in all the right ways—it’s a female’s comedy that rivals any of its male “bromance” predecessors.

 

3 1/2 stars

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