The Trip to Italy

Filmmaker Michael Winterbottom reunites his comedic stars from 2010's The Trip for another appetizing adventure, this time researching a gastronomic article for London's The Observer. Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon travel in the footsteps of romantic poets Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley, driving their Mini Cooper down spectacularly scenic highways, staying in luxurious suites in high-end hotels, and sampling epicurean fare at Italian restaurants—from Piedmont, down the Amalfi coastline, to Capri. Forget the minimal plot: it's the bantering, bickering personalities of acerbic Coogan and jovial Brydon that fuel the fun, as these two, middle-aged Brit actors play semi-fictionalized versions of themselves—Coogan the cynical pessimist, and Brydon an emotionally needy optimist. Their improvised celebrity impersonations—from Michael Caine and Sean Connery to Clint Eastwood and Hugh Grant—are hilarious. Yet there is an undercurrent of discontent in this melancholy journey, as Coogan Skypes with his estranged teenage son (Timothy Leach) and Brydon auditions for a part in an upcoming Hollywood film. Like The Trip, this originated as a six-part BBC TV series that's been edited for theatrical release. A leisurely, sublimely sybaritic road trip, full of irrepressibly clever repartee, this is recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include deleted scenes (26 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a decent extras package for an entertaining sequel.] (S. Granger)