Fans of comedian Eric André‘s hilarious jackass-style humor will be most pleased with “Bad Trip,” an uncensored, bawdy film that’s now streaming on Netflix. The movie is a series of hidden camera gags that’s intertwined with a fictional buddy road trip narrative. It’s a formula that’s proven to work when it comes to comedies, and there’s something so satisfying about watching funny, real reactions from unsuspecting targets when they’re thrust into hilarious scenarios.
This movie is as gross-out and low brow as they come (the really crude gags are super nasty), but Andre has always excelled in pushing the envelope. When it comes down to it, the more outrageous and shocking the gags, the better. Some of the elaborate pranks are excessively non-PC (including a bit with a man in a gorilla suit that will test all but the strongest gag reflexes), but all are hilarious.
The fictional narrative holds everything together. Two best friends Chris and Bud (André and Lil Rel Howery) take a road trip from Florida to New York to find Chris’s high school crush so he can declare his undying love for her. Problem is, the two bros have stolen Bud’s sister’s (Tiffany Haddish) car for the trip, and she just escaped from prison and isn’t too happy. His sister tracks them down to get her revenge, and it’s really, really funny, thanks to an unhinged performance from Haddish.
Close to 80% of the gags work (I’m also shocked at that number, but it’s true), and there’s a sweet tale of friendship and family thrown into the mix. The film is at its best when the hidden camera targets are completely duped, and the amount of comedy is in direct correlation to the personality and response of the unsuspecting public “stars.” The film lags a bit laugh-wise near the end, but “Bad Trip” is good for a belly full of hearty chortles.