Stream It Or Skip It: ‘The Trip To Greece’ On Demand Finds Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon On One Last Cultural Immersion

Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan are back to finish out their quadrilogy of travel films with The Trip to Greece, now available on demand. The pair reteam with director Michael Winterbottom as they set out to loosely retrace the steps of Odysseus, taking in all the sights and snacks while one-upping and matching impressions along the way. If you’re a fan of the three previous films in the series (The Trip, The Trip To Italy, The Trip To Spain), it’s likely you’ll want to come along for this journey as well. 

THE TRIP TO GREECE: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Fans of the series know the drill by this point: the two actors set out on a trip to immerse themselves in a new culture while throwing funny jabs back and forth at each other. As they stop by fancy restaurants, swanky hotels, and significant landmarks, Brydon and Coogan discuss career, family, aging, and pop culture in ways that are always as humorous as they are honest.

It’s amusing that in this one the topic of one of Coogan’s latest films, 2018’s Stan & Ollie comes up, as the parallels are quite clear here. These two have established themselves as a comedic odd couple, and one that can’t help but weather a wave of melancholy amongst the laughs.

If you’ve read any other reviews of this film, you’ll know there’s a bit of a dark cloud looming over this installment, but I didn’t mind it — perhaps because I wasn’t surprised by it? There’s always been an air of cynicism present, and a bit of darkness in their competition and even buried in their comedy, so that once some less than pleasant news comes through, there’s more of an expected than a shocked vibe (hello, they are British after all).

Ultimately, The Trip to Greece is mostly what you think it is, and does a great job being just that. If you love watching these two bicker and trade barbs and especially making each other laugh while tasting gorgeous plates of food in front of breathtaking views, then this trip is very much worth taking.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: If you liked their previous jaunts around Europe, I would be highly surprised if you didn’t enjoy this one as well. Hell, even if this is your first taste of the series, there’s still a whole lot to enjoy here.

Performance Worth Watching: These two have the largely improvised films down to a science at this point. They are total pros at playing elevated versions of themselves that it feels more natural than ever. Brydon feels more confident in this role than ever before, with no lags in between in pitch-perfect responses to Coogan’s comments. And for Coogan, it’s refreshing that after all these years of reminding his pal (or “associate”) that he can also be a serious actor, this film actually gives him a chance to be one. It’s perhaps some of the more emotional acting he’s displayed in this series yet and it’s not only a nice reminder of his skills, but also rewarding for viewers to take in as well.

Memorable Dialogue: There is a conversation, and of course subsequent delightful ribbing, early in the film when Coogan tells a story about flies that had me in a fit of giggles both times I watched it. There’s also a typical exchange between the two, which is also in the trailer, to which I would like to confirm that yes, Mr. Brydon, I do think that Mr. Coogan resembles Richard Gere now and also yes, Mr. Coogan, you are wearing your years well.

It felt to me that both men allowed themselves to take a moment to laugh at the other’s jokes more here, instead of immediately rushing to a comeback, and the only thing better than them making us laugh, is them making each other laugh, really.

Single Best Shot: These movies always have been and will be known for their impressions. They’re the clips that get passed around the most and rack up the most views, and they’re the moments in the film that likely have viewers paying the most attention and doing the most giggles. The actors have expanded outside just Michael Caine impressions here, though as you can see Mick Jagger has returned. None feel like they last longer than they need to while still showing off the comedic actors’ skills.

Sex and Skin: The Trip films have never veered too pervy because there’s no need for them to. The only porn, really, is the food porn and often the view porn of these excessively scenic locations. Plus, these movies have always been about the bromance, and not so much romance. In this one, there is some joking about a hotel name that sounds like “lesbian” as well as a brief yet fairly chaste smooch/slinking out of a hotel room in the morning scenario.

Our Take: I found The Trip To Greece to be exactly what I wanted and hoped it would be, which is more of the same, but also with what I found to be a rewarding ending. Without giving too much away, it’s safe to say yes there’s some gloom present but not everything in life can be as bright and sunshine-y as the locales these two travel to (well, save for the first installment).

For me, it’s not surprising or unexpected to see this series go to darker places. There has always been an underlying semi-sinister feeling, maybe even an unspoken sadness, as these two evaluate the impact and longevity of their lives, especially within the scope of the entertainment industry. They joke, yes, but the funniest jokes are always the most honest ones — and some of those have got to sting.

Few cinematic series are as consistent overall (mostly) as The Trip has been. They all make me laugh and I could watch these two go at it in their signature way over any cuisine, at any cultural landmark, and on any car ride. It’s impossible now to not look at every piece of entertainment through the lens of the pandemic, but I didn’t find watching these two galavant around Greece depressing at all. I’ve always watched these movies from my couch, so I didn’t feel confined but rather comforted seeing these two travel has they always have. It didn’t feel nostalgic to me, it felt normal.

Brydon and Coogan have been at this for nearly a decade, and if they’ve taught us anything it’s that taking a trip is only so much of an escape. Maybe from your home or your town or your everyday routine, but certainly not always from yourself. Plus, one of the most significant parts of a trip is coming home and evaluating how much you’ve grown over the time you were away. Sure, maybe that’s a bummer of a way to look at traveling, but it’s also what makes those jokes and impressions and facial reactions as funny and as necessary to these films as they are.

So I’m not mad at The Trip giving this one a little more weight. Both of these guys are good actors, and not just comedically. It felt earned and rewarding to show that. Plus, the ending of the last installment in Spain was just so puzzling that it was nearly refreshing to have something a bit more cut and dry and satisfying in its own ways here. For as much as I appreciate the funny moments, and there are many, it’s also not out of line for this series to be poignant and I think this one played that right. It should also be noted that if you were just watching these movies to find out how they ended, you definitely did it wrong.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Brydon and Coogan have said this is the last Trip of the series, and I can certainly appreciate it as a bookend. But, again with a 2020 lens, if these times have changed anything, I think it’s that we reevaluate and cherish the good times we’ve previously enjoyed. In these films, these guys seem to be having so much fun. It’s hard for me to believe this is actually the last we’ll see of them together — maybe not right away, but certainly down the road.

Where to stream The Trip To Greece on Demand