The Guilt Trip

The Guilt Trip (2012)

Directed by Anne Fletcher

Written by Dan Fogelman

Starring: Seth Rogen, Barbra Streisand

Andy Brewster (Rogen) is taking a trip across the country trying to sell his invention. When he makes a quick stop to see his mother (Streisand) he quickly gains a travel companion. Now Andy and his mom are traveling together as he tries to sell his new cleaning products. This last chance trip soon turns into a different kind of adventure for the two of them.

This is a different take on a buddy comedy from Dan Fogelman (Crazy, Stupid, Love.). He wrote the screenplay for this movie, which was directed by Anne Fletcher (27 Dresses). The cast includes a number of familiar faces, but Barbra Streisand (The Way We Were) and Seth Rogen (Knocked Up) take center stage.

The acting in this one is perfect for the style of the film and the tone of the story. Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen seemed to have a natural chemistry with one another. Their relationship on the screen is a convincing portrayal of the strange relationship between mothers and sons. Specifically, the two have the right mix of tension and compassion between them that plays nicely from beginning to end.

Much of the success of the movie is the nicely written screenplay. The story is simple, but this allows the comedy to stand out. Any predictability in the film comes from the very nature of the story. Like most road trip movies, the end is always pretty clear, and the journey is where the fun is. This movie doesn’t disappoint, but it’s not taking on any new territory.

This is a good movie, and worth the time for anyone looking for a good clean bit of fun. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a few good laughs. Like I said, this isn’t a groundbreaking film, but it works and it’s funny. I would also suggest this to fans of the actors in the movie. I give this one 3.6 out of 5 stars.