The Film
Let's get this out of the way: I like Seth Rogen. I loved Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared, Knocked Up and Pineapple Express. I even kind-of, sort-of liked The Green Hornet (maybe). However, nothing can save the viewer from The Guilt Trip -- not even mega-superstar-sensation Barbra Streisand.
The Guilt Trip is Streisand's third film since 1996's The Mirror Has Two Faces. It's also the second of those three to earn her a Razzie nomination. Still paying attention?
Well, it ain't easy. Within the first three seconds of the film, we get the idea that Babs has nothing going on in her life, except love for her son Andy (Rogen). She's a widower, so she spends most of her days calling Andy a million times, just to check in and deliver any other message that crosses her mind. To get his mom off his back and in touch with a long-lost love, Andy reluctantly invites her on a cross-country roadtrip. Naturally, she doesn't shut up and he has a low threshold for pain. He's not the only one.
The Guilt Trip is directed by Anne Fletcher, who choreographed one of the greatest film endings of all-time for The 40 Year-Old Virgin. Like that closing scene, The Guilt Trip is incredibly over the top -- just not in a funny way. There are a lot of cringe-worthy moments and it's really hard to connect to either of the main chatracters. In fact, the only connection I had with Babs in this film is how she eats peanut M&Ms in bed. Apparently, it's a philosophy. I get that. What I don't get is passing this off as a comedy.
The Picture
This is a brand-new film, with two A-listers. Paramount isn't going to pass this one off with a bad image. The 2.35:1 aspect ratio is everything you'd expect it to be, with nice colors and plenty of detail. I actually expected there to be a lot of softness in this film, but it's very crisp. While some of the material doesn't sit very well, this film is definitely nice to look at.
The Sound
Paramount has given The Guilt Trip a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix. It's not a rip-roaring ride, but it's definitely a good track. It could be a little more immersive, but there are plenty of atmospheric effects for the car ride, the strip club scene, and several other parts of the movie. Dialogue is definitely the star here, and it's clear throughout.
The Extras
Final Thoughts
Seth Rogen and Barbra Streisand play well off one another, and it's easy to believe that the two are mother and son. However, it's hard to believe anything else in The Guilt Trip. Even worse, it's hard to laugh at anything else. Know who should have the real guilt trip? Paramount -- for subjecting anyone to this movie.
Product Details
Where to Buy:
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