The 2017 comedy releases have been lackluster so far. Rough Night, The House, and Baywatch were all not as funny as hoped. Girls Trip not only shines as the best of the summer, but a solid raunchy comedy. My wife and I both enjoyed the film even though it’s a little long and the third act feels a bit rushed. Still, it’s a fun time at the movies.
Girls Trip is the best all out comedy of the summer
Ryan Pierce (Regina Hall) is on the verge of making a deal that will cement her celebrity. She invites her girls Sasha (Queen Latifah), Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith), and Dina (Tiffany Haddish) to Essence Festival in New Orleans where she’ll be the keynote speaker. It’s been five years since the Flossy Posse was last together and the girls are all in need of some freedom.
The four leads are all hilarious, but Tiffany Haddish really stands out. Her character is supposed to be the most immature and the most outrageous, but it’s Haddish’s comedic timing and delivery that really makes her character work. Dina’s antics are often the center of all of the comedy. However, Lisa’s straightedge, overly motherly personality really works in contrast to Dina. They’re constant culture clashes, that Sasha and Ryan also point out to Lisa, is often a source of some great laughs.
Some issues still…
There were some odd technical problems with this film. The editing seemed choppy at times and there were moments that the coverage definitely wasn’t sufficient enough to smooth the editing out. There is a scene of some conflict late in the film and the conversations editing feels staggered and clearly out of continuity. Sasha and Ryan are arguing and as the film cuts back and forth there are clearly some continuity issues and even the look of the picture feels off. My wife noticed this too throughout the film and said it caused her to have a headache by the end.
The movie is a little long, but the laughs come frequently enough that it’s not that noticeable. However, when the tension finally climaxes it’s clear that it’s relatively late in the movie. So, the inevitable clash gets resolved rapidly as the film is running out of time. It’s not movie destroying or anything, but it does feel rushed and cleans up a little too tidy.
Final thoughts…
Girls Trip is a very funny movie with a decent enough plot. There is a little trouble with execution, but the comedy still makes it shine. It is adult humor so keep the kids away and get a sitter. Girls Trip earns the Not Quite Golden, Ponyboy rating.
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