+34
'The Trip to Greece' is the last of Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon's insult-lobbying, celebrity-impression-heavy travelogues—and one of the series' best. Our review
And there’s the mixture of meta aspects and melancholia that Coogan, Brydon and director Michael Winterbottom have used as a baseline for the series, with the latter emphasized more than usual this time.
Whether it’s the original-recipe TV show that’s broken into six-half-hour episodes or the scaled-down feature-length version, eachentry is essentially a leisurely gentleman’s stroll through a hall of mirrors, with two air-quoted famous people — “Steve Coogan” and “Rob Brydon”— ribbing each other and themselves. Dramatic beats get nestled in betweenand travelogue vignettes. Viewers get just enough handwringing over career ups and downs, romantic travails and family issues to sustain the illusion of real-life stakes. You know these guys are improvising to a degree, and a decade down the line, you’re still jazzed to see them play off each other. The trio have this sleight of hand down to a science. But from the moment Brydon recites the opening lines of Homer’s epic over a former military camp turned tourist site,feels a few shades darker than its predecessors. The passage of time hangs heavy over the proceedings, as these two middle-aged celebrities trod down the path of warriors and kings, leaving less of their own footprint behind. What was once home to an empire is now a Mediterranean vacation spot, with plenty of ruins and antiquities perfect for snapshots. You get the sense that, like Tony Soprano, they both feel like they’ve come in at the end. Coogan, especially, seems deflated by the fact that he isn’t instantly turned into Alexander the Great by setting foot on ancient soil — that, and the fact that Brydon knows more about the origins of the theme toleaves him feeling like a jerk. The young, pretty hospitality workers are now immune to his charm offensives. Having seven BAFTAS, as the actor reminds his traveling companion at every opportunity, has given him a sense of self-importance. But when the ashes to ashes, dust to dust settles, what’s it matter? Everything is destined to turn in to history one day, including them…if anyone even remembers us in 200 years, Coogan notes. Death has always been a part of these. Here, in the form of Bergmanesque dream sequences and phone calls from home, it jostles its way into the narrative more and more.shares the same DNA that gave us
Scratch the next story
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Americans being left out of WHO trip to Wuhan draws criticism From Trump–Here's who did goClifford Lane, one of the Americans on the WHO-China Joint Mission, told Newsweek he was 'disappointed' he didn't get to visit Wuhan, but said he received a good briefing from those who went.
Read more »
Buckle Up and Check Out the Cast of Road Trip Then and NowIt's been 20 years since four college kids piled into the car and embarked on a tour of debauchery for a ridiculous cause in Todd Phillips' feature directorial debut
Read more »
Trump’s trip to the Hill was all about campaign, not coronavirusIn a nearly hour long lunch with Republican senators, the president focused on poll numbers, Joe Biden, and telling senators they need to toughen up or they’ll lose in November, according to multiple senators leaving the lunch.
Read more »
Ben Stiller remembers calling late father Jerry during a bad LSD trip, plus other funny memoriesBen Stiller appeared on 'The Tonight Show' on Tuesday to recount some of his funniest memories with his dad, Jerry Stiller. The 'Seinfeld' actor died on May 11 at the age of 92.
Read more »
Miranda Lambert & Husband Are Living the 'Glamp Life' on Road TripMiranda Lambert let's fans in on her life on the road w/ husband Brendan McLoughlin.
Read more »
Ben Stiller’s Sweetest Story About His Dad Involves a Bad LSD TripBen Stiller shared a really sweet story about the time he tried acid, freaked out, and called his parents
Read more »