In the prime popularity of MTV– when its offbeat identity represented rebels and outcasts and was an outlet for contemporary pop, punk, and irreverent culture– there was a surge of television shows and films produced or endorsed by the company that embraced everything immature, insane, and frequently funny, even witty or satirical. While on the surface many of these endeavors seemed crude or an embodiment of everything everyone saw wrong about the younger generations, deep down it was a proud declaration of freedom and bold expression of artistic control that truly did not care about standards or expectations. One could venture far enough to call it avant-garde.
One of these shows has gone down as not only one of the most notorious examples of creative freedom and carefree attitude, but also as one of the most culturally impactful and influential shows of the 21st century– “Jackass”. The show popularized a hidden camera type of approach while seemingly crazy people did even crazier things with gusto. It inspired several replications of the format, to varying degrees of success, including its own slate of movies that packaged the show’s signature skits and formats uncensored in a feature film length, as well as a narrative endeavor, “Bad Grandpa”, which took the hidden camera idea to a heightened level by performing these skits in front of an unsuspecting public, all while telling its own story with plot beats and characters.
The most recent product of this format is Netflix’s new release, “Bad Trip”. The film stars comedians Eric Andre, Lil Rel Howery, and Tiffany Haddish in their element, staging and improvising within live skits that result in some ridiculous or uncomfortable gags happening in real-time and real-life, unexpected by the public now unknowingly involved with the production. The film is held together by a thin plot that follows Chris (Andre) and Bud (Howery) as they go on a road trip up the East Coast, from Florida to New York, in Trina’s (Haddish) stolen car to find Chris’s high school sweetheart, Maria Li, played by Michaela Conlin. The plot acts more as a segway for the film’s set-pieces than something worth engaging with on a deeper level, but to Andre and co’s credit, that’s certainly not what the film is billed as, nor should it be.
From the outset, the viewer is aware that the film exists as a showcase of excess, ridiculous, and raunchy visual gags, and Andre’s talents as a raucous and fearless comedian, which are amplified by his improvisational abilities put on display throughout much of the runtime. There is no length to which he, or his co-stars, will not go for a gag, other than a safe word when things venture into dangerous reactionary territory. The commitment to these roles and gags is admirable, and it makes the humor far more palatable even when it reaches extremes that will make everyone watching cringe and laugh, likely all in one confusing moment.
“Bad Trip” also functions as a perfect fit for the Netflix model– a low to mid-level budget film with enough star power to attract attention and curious interest, and stir up publicity, but not enough to be released successfully on a wide scale. It’s a low-risk investment that if all goes well boosts the service’s popularity, and if not, then at least people watched it out of curiosity and racketed up streaming numbers. The film is short and to the point, clocking in at 84 minutes; it’s the definition of a breezy, one-and-done watch that you enjoy at the moment and will likely never come back to unless in the mood for something of its nature years later. It’s best enjoyed with a group of friends, your brain turned off, and a stomach for crass, gross-out comedy.
While it seems an easy target for criticism, being released on Netflix means that it’s not being shoved down anyone’s throat or being obnoxiously marketed– if you enjoy these types of films it’s there, but if not then you can just keep scrolling.
If there’s a major critique I can offer of the film, it’s that “Bad Grandpa” was far more effective in its execution of this format and style. Not only were the ridiculous humor and live set pieces there, all of which were consistent in their own right, there was also a strong story at the center that allowed for the gags to flow better and function more with the plot, ultimately making them more believable both to the viewer and victims. The story also had a lot of heart, which allowed for a reprieve from the barrage of crudeness with a lot of legitimately genuine moments, interactions, and story beats. “Bad Trip” feels like a staler, slimmed-down version of “Bad Grandpa”, right down to the parallels in their names, though both are able to exist successfully and in their own spaces if you are fond of hidden-camera gag films. The film feels like it wanted to be both “Jackass” and “Bad Grandpa”, going with the skits and humor of “Jackass” but with the structure of “Bad Grandpa”. However, it fails to have the impact and insanity of “Jackass” stunts and the ingenious structure, pacing, and gag integration of “Bad Grandpa”, resulting in a movie that is moderately funny but not particularly inspired or creative with its own execution.
Overall, “Bad Trip” is a mostly harmless and enjoyable watch, with good pacing that allows for the gags to come one after another and for the story to stay mostly out of the way, other than to service travel from one destination and gag to another. Despite being abundantly crude and sophomoric in its humor, the execution of that humor puts it at an impressive and most effective level. The smartest decision of the film was to adopt the hidden camera approach, which makes the jokes land harder and the humor more ridiculous when you realize the steps being taken to do these things for real. It creates a three-headed humor dragon– the actors’ commitment to the gag and improvisation, the gag itself, and the genuine and unfiltered response by the bystanders. While it’s a little boring when considering its contemporaries and obvious influences, it’s still an entertaining ride if you’re willing to take it for what it is– a short, stupid, and silly film good for a quick laugh or a night in. It’s film junk food.