Currently #1 on Netflix’s U.S.A. chart is “Bad Trip,” a hidden-camera comedy starring Tiffany Haddish. It takes you on a journey between two best friends and their mission to find love in New York City. As the trip commences, Chris Carey (Eric André) and Bud Malone (Lil Rey Howery) encounter a series of misfortunes that prove how big their dedication to NYC really is.
Chris and Bud are stuck in a small town with not much going on, until Chris spots his high school crush Maria Li (Michaela Conlin). From that moment forward, he’s on a mission to profess his love to her. His best friend Bud joins him for the ride, in his cousin Trina Malone’s (Tiffany Haddish) stolen car … except there’s one little problem: Trina is crazy. She escaped from jail to find out her favorite possession had been taken out of the shop, and let me tell you, boy is she upset.
Of course, this isn’t just a regular, plain comedy. Throughout the filming there are hidden cameras that capture people’s reactions to everything going on. After Trina finds out her car is stolen, she goes on a road trip with the hopes of tracing back Chris and Bud. Here she interacts with regular citizens who have no idea that they’re being filmed. The audience sees their purest reaction and, I can definitely confirm, it’s hysterical. Some people are shocked by Trina, Chris and Bud, but others have no problem standing up for what’s right.
I personally have always been a fan of hidden-camera comedies. The first one that comes to mind, and a classic, is “Borat” starring Sacha Baron Cohen. It’s the same concept of ridiculous behavior in public with the hopes of capturing the most amazing reactions. While I thought the plotline of “Bad Trip” was interesting and captivating, the best part of the entire film was noticing how different people would handle different situations. There was one point when a car accident took place, and the bright and loving side of humanity stepped out. It can become easy to fall into the pattern of thinking the world is a bad place, but small moments such as those remind you there are people willing to step in and give a helping hand.
All four actors and actresses did an amazing job. Tiffany Haddish captured Trina’s persona perfectly and impressively continued the character when in front of an audience. She was an equal balance between doing “too much,” but also not exaggerating it so that people would catch on.
I’m not sure if it’s just me, but during these pandemic times I absolutely hate watching anything sad or scary. It may be because the world we’re living in is already terrifying enough, so it gives me more of a reason to stay away from films that get me in my feels. “Bad Trip” is exactly the opposite. It’s a happy-ending, laugh-until-you-pee type of movie … which are totally the best kind. While there is a tiny bit of suspense to it, it’s not something that’s going to cause your heart to race out of your chest. No wonder it’s #1.
Rating: 4.5/5