A girl's trip. A novelty idea that starts out so innocent, but can turn down the wilder side. Rough Night already attempted to depict this concept earlier this summer, but it didn't quite deliver the punch it wanted. So, this weekend, another (almost identical) movie tries the concept again, and we can only hope it's more successful. Robbie K reporting again on another movie review to give you the 411 on films. Let's get started!
LIKES:
Good Pace: Many raunchy comedies, and let's face it there are plenty of them, often have either too quick a pace, or drag out exponentially. Girls Trip gets the pace right though, keeping things fun and entertaining, without getting stuck on a scene or sequence for too long. I found myself engaged in the movie and thoroughly enjoyed the fun at hand in the Flossy Posse adventure. It's nice to see things progress at an adequate rate and breathe some life into a plot that was dead of originality. And speaking of plot
Story: Believe it or not, comedies can still have a story and make you laugh. Despite what the trailers promised, Girls Trip has a plot that creates a foundation for the laughs to spring off of and keep it grounded with a relevant purpose. I'd be lying if I didn't say there are times they go all out for comedy, however much of it goes with the flow of the story and is relevant to the plot. Past the comedy though, the story is another heartfelt romp about friendship and love, going down the usual avenues that we've seen a hundred times. One unique feature though is how all of the girls' problems interconnect and cause drama to offset the mischief at hand. The result is a dynamic relationship between the ladies, and the extras surrounding them, that feels relevant, relatable, and realistic on many levels. So, nice to see this in a comedy again.
Acting: Characters are good, but they require acting to come to life. Rough Night failed to emphasize the acting and traded their talent for quick laughs. This film learned from that mistake and encouraged them to act like characters with more depth. Regina Hall has the drama acting down pat, being emotional while also steering from the overacting. Queen Latifah brings her sass back to the mix, a little edgier, but nonetheless the same style that works for these roles. Tiffany Haddish is like the Rebel Wilson in this film. She works well for comedic relief, and her loyal, unfiltered edge is executed well at most parts. My favorite is Jada Pinkett Smith who presents the most balanced character of the bunch and played the broadest spectrum of the bunch. Their chemistry mixes well and really represents a girl squad who has drama, but has each other's' back.
Comedy: A small, but important note, is that the comedy is well executed and quite balanced for this reviewer. Sure, much of the theme is sexual natured, but fortunately the crassness of the jokes varies depending on the character. There are some other comedic devices presented that are fun, but what's nice is that comedy is balanced and not the center piece.
DISLIKES:
The Language: Yeah, no surprise, I don't like strong focus on cursing. Girls Trip sadly falls victim to using the F bomb, alongside a few other derogatory devices, for much of their conversation. While not the worst I've seen, the writing could have used a few rewrites to add some class and more memorable lines to the mix. But Lazy writing still brought a lot of laughs to the group so it's probably not the biggest factor for most.
The Uncensored moments: Despite the change up of delivery, and the dynamic nature of the women much of the comedy is focused on sex. While this comedy is not my particular style, it can be entertaining, when executed at the right times. There are points where Girls Trip gets really nasty though and drops the class for cheap laughs and gimmicks. In particular, Haddish's character gets old at times and her raunchy moments got old at times (though not as much as seeing near naked men and their organs).
Endgame/Lack of Originality: With all the good pacing and delivery of this movie, you would think there would be a strong endgame. Unfortunately, Girls Trip kind of dropped the ball in the last twenty minutes when they threw a big wrench into the gears. At this point a lot of tension is introduced, only to have it immediately resolved in a rather lackluster manner. The final resolution has emotional power behind it, but it was very unoriginal and lacking the cleanup I expected from our ladies. Not the consistency I had hoped for, but still not the worse conclusion I've seen this weekend.
The Verdict:
Despite my low expectations, Girl's Trip is surprisingly very entertaining. A well-paced, story- focused comedy is in store for those who come to see this film in the theater. The cast keeps the movie fun, and the story is both emotional and entertaining to watch, especially with the comedy that goes in tangent with it. However, despite the entertainment value in it, Girl's Trip still has some areas to improve upon including comedy diversity, classing up the lines/censorship, and maybe working on an endgame. Regardless, this movie hits its target audience well and is a fun adventure that I hope will stand at just one movie (no sequel needed). Worth the trip to the theater? In terms of comedy this summer, yes this is one of the ones to see. Yet, there is nothing theater worthy to call for the expensive tickets.
My Scores:
Comedy: 7.5 Movie Overall: 6.0
LIKES:
Good Pace: Many raunchy comedies, and let's face it there are plenty of them, often have either too quick a pace, or drag out exponentially. Girls Trip gets the pace right though, keeping things fun and entertaining, without getting stuck on a scene or sequence for too long. I found myself engaged in the movie and thoroughly enjoyed the fun at hand in the Flossy Posse adventure. It's nice to see things progress at an adequate rate and breathe some life into a plot that was dead of originality. And speaking of plot
Story: Believe it or not, comedies can still have a story and make you laugh. Despite what the trailers promised, Girls Trip has a plot that creates a foundation for the laughs to spring off of and keep it grounded with a relevant purpose. I'd be lying if I didn't say there are times they go all out for comedy, however much of it goes with the flow of the story and is relevant to the plot. Past the comedy though, the story is another heartfelt romp about friendship and love, going down the usual avenues that we've seen a hundred times. One unique feature though is how all of the girls' problems interconnect and cause drama to offset the mischief at hand. The result is a dynamic relationship between the ladies, and the extras surrounding them, that feels relevant, relatable, and realistic on many levels. So, nice to see this in a comedy again.
Acting: Characters are good, but they require acting to come to life. Rough Night failed to emphasize the acting and traded their talent for quick laughs. This film learned from that mistake and encouraged them to act like characters with more depth. Regina Hall has the drama acting down pat, being emotional while also steering from the overacting. Queen Latifah brings her sass back to the mix, a little edgier, but nonetheless the same style that works for these roles. Tiffany Haddish is like the Rebel Wilson in this film. She works well for comedic relief, and her loyal, unfiltered edge is executed well at most parts. My favorite is Jada Pinkett Smith who presents the most balanced character of the bunch and played the broadest spectrum of the bunch. Their chemistry mixes well and really represents a girl squad who has drama, but has each other's' back.
Comedy: A small, but important note, is that the comedy is well executed and quite balanced for this reviewer. Sure, much of the theme is sexual natured, but fortunately the crassness of the jokes varies depending on the character. There are some other comedic devices presented that are fun, but what's nice is that comedy is balanced and not the center piece.
DISLIKES:
The Language: Yeah, no surprise, I don't like strong focus on cursing. Girls Trip sadly falls victim to using the F bomb, alongside a few other derogatory devices, for much of their conversation. While not the worst I've seen, the writing could have used a few rewrites to add some class and more memorable lines to the mix. But Lazy writing still brought a lot of laughs to the group so it's probably not the biggest factor for most.
The Uncensored moments: Despite the change up of delivery, and the dynamic nature of the women much of the comedy is focused on sex. While this comedy is not my particular style, it can be entertaining, when executed at the right times. There are points where Girls Trip gets really nasty though and drops the class for cheap laughs and gimmicks. In particular, Haddish's character gets old at times and her raunchy moments got old at times (though not as much as seeing near naked men and their organs).
Endgame/Lack of Originality: With all the good pacing and delivery of this movie, you would think there would be a strong endgame. Unfortunately, Girls Trip kind of dropped the ball in the last twenty minutes when they threw a big wrench into the gears. At this point a lot of tension is introduced, only to have it immediately resolved in a rather lackluster manner. The final resolution has emotional power behind it, but it was very unoriginal and lacking the cleanup I expected from our ladies. Not the consistency I had hoped for, but still not the worse conclusion I've seen this weekend.
The Verdict:
Despite my low expectations, Girl's Trip is surprisingly very entertaining. A well-paced, story- focused comedy is in store for those who come to see this film in the theater. The cast keeps the movie fun, and the story is both emotional and entertaining to watch, especially with the comedy that goes in tangent with it. However, despite the entertainment value in it, Girl's Trip still has some areas to improve upon including comedy diversity, classing up the lines/censorship, and maybe working on an endgame. Regardless, this movie hits its target audience well and is a fun adventure that I hope will stand at just one movie (no sequel needed). Worth the trip to the theater? In terms of comedy this summer, yes this is one of the ones to see. Yet, there is nothing theater worthy to call for the expensive tickets.
My Scores:
Comedy: 7.5 Movie Overall: 6.0