Bad Trip – Film Review

Hidden cameras capture two best friends named Chris Carey (Eric Andre) and Bud Malone (Lil Rel Howery) pulling hilarious and inventive pranks on an unsuspecting public.

Kitao Sakurai’s new feature film Bad Trip is without a doubt the most genuinely surprising release of 2021 so far. I’ve seen this movie’s posters and marketing material for the past year or so and thought it looked like a generic and bland comedy. Now that I have finally seen the film in its entirety, I can say wholeheartedly that not only is it shockingly great, but it’s one of the funniest movies I have seen in years.

A lot of the reason as to why it’s as funny as it is is because of the electric and all-out performance that Eric Andre gives here. I’ve been a fan of his work for years and I’ve loved seeing him and his various sketches get turned into memes ever since I was a teenager, but I think in Bad Trip, he delivers his most wild and most out-there performance.

And the chemistry he shares with Lil Rel Howery of Get Out fame is absolutely infectious and it’s honestly near impossible not to at least crack a smile whenever the two of them are on-screen together goofing around and partaking in a load of mischief. They’re two best friends that find themselves in increasingly awkward and truly unbelievable situations.

The movie has a tendency to get more and more bonkers as each scene passes by. The opening scene had me in stitches and I thought that it was insane. Little did I know that practically every scene that followed it would get crazier and crazier. There’s one moment in the film involving Eric Andre and a gorilla that is one of the most hilarious and truly insane movie scenes I have ever watched in my life. No exaggeration.

Courtesy of Netflix

If you are a massive fan of the Borat and Jackass style of humor, then you’re probably going to get a kick out of the antics that Andre and Howery get up to in Bad Trip. Although the film does pull perhaps a bit too much material from Borat, this film still has plenty of tricks up its sleeves and is a delight in the long run.

In terms of issues, I couldn’t help but feel as if sometimes, there should have been some breathing room. There really isn’t any scene in this movie where you can pause and take a breath. The screenwriters definitely wanted to make every scene in the film as hilarious as can be, and while I do appreciate that, I wish there could have been a little bit of time to relax and just focus on the characters for a minute or two.

And plus, the ending feels extremely abrupt and there didn’t feel like there was enough closure. The film sets up this big ending that you think will be funny and genuinely sweet, but then the film just kind of ends without any warning.

But nevertheless, Bad Trip is a surprisingly fresh and inventive comedy that had me laughing out loud constantly. Sure, it never really focuses too much on who these characters are, but in terms of sheer comedic value and rewatchability, this is going to be a favorite amongst many viewers.

Overall Grade: A-

MPAA Rating: R for crude sexual content, pervasive language, some graphic nudity, and drug use

Cast: Eric Andre, Lil Rel Howery, Tiffany Haddish, Michaela Conlin

Directed by: Kitao Sakurai

Distributed by: Netflix

Release Date: March 26, 2021

Running Time: 84 minutes