Director: Malcolm D. Lee
Starring: Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tiffany Haddish, Larenz Tate, Mike Colter, Kate Walsh.
This film came about pretty quickly, over here in the UK at least. There wasn't much of a promotional campaign here, unlike the coming-soon Rough Night, which was the film I automatically thought of when I saw a trailer. Though the premise is completely different. One thing both films have in common, is the poor titles. Like they made the film without being able to pick a decent name for the film.
Yes, it is a girls trip. Four schoolfriends reunite some years later, taking a trip to the Essence Festival in New Orleans where they rediscover their friendship, grudges and secrets. Each harbingering their own troubles whilst trying to maintain their relationships. Sound all too serious for a comedy, but there is quite a decent balance with a strong message that reminds me about my own close friends.
You have the celebrity-career woman who isn't as perfect as she and the world makes her out to be, the overprotective, divorcee mother, the gossip columnist who makes a living by writing about celebrity scandals and the loose cannon, wild child who cares little about anything apart from herself and her other three friends.
It's fairly long for a comedy based drama with a running time just over 2hrs but it didn't drag it's heels and there's plenty that goes on, however I do think if some scenes could have been cut. There's nothing overly amazing about the direction but it manages to delivers the laughs.
Each portray their parts extremely well, and their companionship really comes across where parts reminded me of the Kid N' Play films of the nineties. And though all might have a fair share of the storyline, it's Hall and the hilarious Haddish that steal the show. Haddish reminding me last year's Kathryn Hahn's Bad Mom.
I had been wondering what happened to Larenz Tate and here he is; and he hasn't seemed to age one bit. Walsh is funny trying to fit in and Colter, better known for playing Luke Cage in the recent Netflix series plays his part also. Then you have the long list of R'n'B, Hip-Hop stars that make an appearance; Common, P. Diddy, Mariah Carey and Maxwell to a name a few, no forgetting Ne-Yo actually providing a remix of his hit "Because of You" to the soundtrack.
It's a surprisingly entertaining and thought-provoking comedy which me want a good holiday with my good friends. But on top of the drama, It is a very funny, crude and rather explicit comedy.
Running Time: 7
The Cast: 7
Performance: 7
Direction: 6
Story: 7
Script: 6
Creativity: 6
Soundtrack: 7
Job Description: 8
The Extra Bonus Point: 0
61% 6/10
