The Trip
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Actor: Alexis Arquette, Dennis Bailey, Ray Baker, Rosemary Alexander, Steve Braun (II)Brand: TLA Releasing
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Widescreen
Running Time: 95 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-12-09
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: TLA Releasing
DVD Reviews of The Trip
DVD Review: Tears and laughter in heartfelt romantic drama
Summary: 4 Stars
THE TRIP
(USA - 2002)
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Theatrical soundtrack: Stereo
The relationship of a free-spirited gay activist (Steve Braun) and a conservative closet-case (Larry Sullivan) is tested to breaking point during the political turbulence of the 1970's and reaches a bittersweet conclusion during the Reaganite 80's, when AIDS begins to decimate the gay community.
Writer-director Miles Swain makes his feature debut with this warm-hearted comedy-drama, which ploughs a far-reaching furrow through two decades of gay liberation. As the opposites who attract each other against their better judgment, Braun (EVERYBODY'S DOING IT) and Sullivan (FORBIDDEN CITY) are perfectly matched, and both young men are profoundly altered by their burgeoning love for one another, while an eccentric supporting cast spins a magical web around them (including former Bond girl Jill St. John [DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER] as Sullivan's daffy, kleptomaniac mother, veteran character actor Ray Baker [WHAT LIES BENEATH] as the scheming politician who covets Sullivan for his own bed, Sirena Irwin [TV's "Stripperella"] as a bubble-headed blonde who is forced to step aside as the two main men in her life begin to fall in love with each other, and the ubiquitous Alexis Arquette [I THINK I DO] as an activist more interested in bedding guys than changing the world).
The fads and fashions of ages past are exploited to the hilt by costume designers Kristen Anacker and Cherie Sevilla Granger and art directors David Touster and Donna Willinsky, while the changing political landscape is charted through a series of contemporary news clips (set your player to 'repeat' for the glorious moment when Anita Bryant is ambushed during a live TV broadcast!). Best of all, the romance between Braun and Sullivan is depicted with heartfelt sincerity, making their final scenes together all the more tender and poignant.
For all its good intentions, however, the movie is weakened by a significant flaw: Despite Swain's clever screenplay (loaded with fruity one-liners), his depiction of the activism which is supposed to fire Braun's spirit is both underwritten and underplayed, resulting in a narrative imbalance. Braun is a little too laidback and carefree to be entirely convincing as the passionate, dedicated activist suggested by Swain's script, and while he pays regular lip service to his liberal convictions, his muted portrayal fails to convey the zest and forcefulness which characterized the gay liberation movement of the 1970's. Braun does his best with the material - he and Sullivan give fine performances in their own right - but his character lacks the sheer dynamism that might have elevated proceedings to a whole new level of achievement. Despite its flaws, however, THE TRIP is one of the most romantic gay films to emerge from independent US cinema in many years, and is heartily recommended. Lovely music score by Steven Chesne.
TLA's fabulous DVD presentation includes a commentary by Swain, Braun, Sullivan and Irwin, during which they reminisce about shooting at Falcon's Lair in Beverly Hills (Rudolph Valentino's former home), and the challenges of producing such an ambitious project on a limited budget. They go out of their way to praise the contributions of experienced players like Baker, St. John and Art Hindle, and Swain describes how he petitioned Bruce Springsteen directly in order to use his song 'Cover Me' on the soundtrack (it would have been too expensive to acquire the tune through official channels). A trailer is included, along with deleted scenes and a short 'Making of' featurette. Oh, and watch out for the bloopers reel, during which - amongst other things - Braun is obliged to repeat an especially rude line of dialogue over and over again, not only for technical reasons, but because it sounds so darn sexy when he says it...
Description of The Trip
An ambitious epic romance that traces the course of two men through their initial meeting as teenagers in 1973 until the mid 80?s. Alan is a member of the Young Republicans and an aspiring journalist. He?s working on a book about the evils of homosexuality, and invites Tommy, a gay rights activist, over for dinner and to interview him for the book. Thus begins a friendship that leads to a love affair told against the background of Anita Bryant, radical politics and the emerging gay rights movement. A huge audience hit during its festival and National Theatrical release, THE TRIP is a funny, touching and powerful film.Miles Swan's romantic comedy The Trip spans 11 years, charting the lives of two men through the Gay Rights movement of the '70s, the conservative backlash of the Reagan-era, and through the AIDS epidemic. Straight, Young Republican author Alan (played by Larry Sullivan) meets Tommy (Steve Braun), a Gay Rights activist, while Alan is completing his anti-gay book. Falling in love with Tommy, Alan tries to avoid publishing "The Straight Truth," but an alleged friend of Alan's underhandedly sabotages him by not only publishing it but also securing for it a place on the bestseller list. As a converted gay man, this enrages Alan and also ruins Tommy's credit as an activist, thereby breaking them up for several years during the '80s. Finally, the two do reunite to pledge their eternal love, though under tragic circumstances. Relevant gay rights news footage, from Stonewall for example, historically sets each segment in the film, making the movie more realistic and educational. Alan and Tommy's plight to fight for the acceptance of homosexuality takes on metaphorical significance, while other characters in the film, like Tommy's best friend, Michael (Alexis Arquette), and Alan's mother (Jill St. John), bring the narrative humor specific to The Trip back into focus. At times, the movie verges on corny, but for the most part avoids cliché. The satisfaction one gets from watching a deep relationship unfold over the years makes this coming-of-age tale a meaningful reminder that there is absolutely no justification for keeping any couples in love apart. --Trinie Dalton
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