Amidst a pandemic and no international travel any time soon, I cannot think of a better movie to watch than ‘The Trip to Greece.’ Our two favorite travel buddies, Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon return for their final adventure to Greece. This one has it all – the humorous barbs, delicious food, beautiful landscapes and ancient landmarks. This is the fourth trip in the popular series. They are essentially playing fictionalized characters of themselves. It takes on a melancholy tone as the world around them infringes on their carefree vacation. The only problem with a great adventure is that it always has to end so grab your passports, sunscreen and let’s seize the day.
They embark on their journey in Turkey making their way to Greece for six days. It is their intention to retrace Odysseus’ voyage home. The restaurants they eat at along the way are not your typical common fare. They are dining at high-end eateries with gorgeous ocean views. One of them is doing freelance restaurant reviews for a newspaper that is footing the bill. Their itinerary includes small villages via ferry rides and a Range Rover SUV through the mountains. Unlike other travelogues, director Michael Winterbottom never focuses too much on the food. He hones in on their lively conversation. It’s the jokes, the stories and their observations on mid-life that is the real meat and potatoes of this trip.
Like any real friendship, the two men one-up each other. In one scene, they are eating and looking out at a body of water. Coogan boasts to Brydon that he bets he can swim the long expanse faster than him. Before you know it, the two are diving off the rocks and racing each other in a competitive swim. There are other moments that stand out. As a beautiful waitress brings different courses to their table, the two men flirt with her. It’s as if they are trying to prove to each other that they still have what it takes to grab the attention of a woman half their age. Winterbottom’s camera follows the woman because she adds to the beauty of this moment in time for them.
In between meals, the men test each other’s knowledge of history. Like all of us, they resort to a Lonely Planet for additional facts. Many of their stops at ancient sites are not explained in detail. Quite of few scenes show the men looking at crumbling rocks that used to be buildings. They take it in, shrug their shoulders and are ready to move on to the next location. Winterbottom adds a tad of fictionalized drama to the trip. Coogan gets a call from home that his father is sick. This brings sadness to the trip and is another reminder that they will not live forever. When they walk through the ancient ruins, they wonder who will remember them when they pass away. It seems to make them feel grateful for what they have in their lives.
Like the previous installments, the men do celebrity impersonations. They always try to outdo each other. In real life, Coogan has won BAFTAs (British academy awards) for ‘Philomena’ and ‘Stan & Ollie.’ It seems like his ego needs more boosting than his buddy. Brydon seems to be more grounded thanks to his solid relationship with his wife. Coogan is divorced and always has a wandering eye for the ladies. They are the odd couple but it works. This traveling series has gone on now for 10 years. The men are in their 50s. You can tell that they enjoy each other’s company even though they sometimes get on each other nerves. ‘The Trip to Greece’ reminds us to enjoy life because it is fleeting. Waiter, I’ll have another glass of wine. Why not?
