Road Trip (2000) Movie Review, Trailer, Film Still and Poster

USA 2000
Director: Todd Phillips
Cast: Breckin Meyer, Seann William Scott, DJ Qualls, Paulo Costanzo, Tom Green, Amy Smart, Andy Dick
Rating: R
Release Date: 11 May 2000
Running Time: 1 hour 34 minutes 4 seconds

The Movie Review

Road Trip film still 1


ROAD TRIP
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As we are already familiar with the college life, either from the movies or from the real life, many things are going on in that learning institution. Especially for those who are outgoing persons. Subsequently, filmmakers were smart to portray (or in some cases Exploit) that college life in their movies. And even though the screenwriters always find a way to amuse the audience with new jokes and material, we all know from what sources that material is based upon and where the story is going. One clever way to tackle that cliché problem is to make the students go "outside" and experience new things, but of course by still retaining their college way, and to do that is by simply giving them a "Road Trip".

Road Trip was released back in the dawn of the 21st century and in the craze of American Pie franchise. Luckily Road Trip is not just some imitator being spawned merely to cash in, but it provides a new flavor to the college movies with many things going on along their "Trip" that won't make you bore. This comedy road movie was produced by the ones behind similar movies such as Old School (2003) and Euro Trip (2004), Daniel Goldberg and Joe Medjuck.

This comedy movie's premise is absolutely simple, but it has so many things happen along the way and so many people with unique characters. Basically Road Trip revolves around Josh who studies at the Ithaca University in New York and befriends E.L. (Seann William Scott), Ruben (Paulo Costanzo), Barry Manilow (Tom Green) and Kyle (DJ Qualls). Josh has a lovely secret admirer named Beth (Amy Smart) who always seems to happily pursue Josh, and Josh is happy with it, if it's not for Josh's long time long-distance girlfriend Tiffany (Rachel Blanchard) who is studying at University of Austin in Texas. Josh has been together with Tiffany since they were kids, and after not talking with her for quite some time, Josh is restless and decides to make a tape with him playing a guitar to be sent to Tiffany which Josh later asks Ruben to post it for him.

However, at one hot night, Josh is sleeping with Beth and she even videotapes their steamy night. Alas! Ruben innocently sends the wrong tape! Instead of sending the singing-tape, he sends the Beth-and-Josh tape. Freaking out over this matter, Josh embarks on a journey spanning 1,800 miles from New York to Austin. Of course Joes goes with the sex-crazed E.L., the brainy Ruben and the nerdy Kyle. Will Josh ever get that tape before Tiffany does? What will Beth do if she finds out about this trip? And most importantly what sort of things will they encounter and experience from this historical Road Trip?

Aside that Road Trip is a great college movie, what is considerably admirable that some of the actors and even the filmmakers were first-timers or at least new people in this movie world. DJ Qualls (minor role in National Lampoon's Senior Trip 1995), Horatio Sanz (minor role in Miracle on 34th Street 1994) and Paulo Costanzo (mostly TV) were all making their big screen debuts through this film, and even writer/director Todd Phillips was making his directorial debut with this film. Although knowing the name of its executive producer did make me fully understood why this movie could be this great, it's Ivan Reitman, the man behind memorable movies such as Cannibal Girls (1973), Ghostbusters (1984) and of course The National Lampoon's Animal House (1978).

Nevertheless, first time doesn't mean amateurish when the role fits the actors, kudos to the casting people. Seann William Scott who had just appeared for the first time in a major motion picture in 1999 as Stifler in American Pie (1999) reprises a role similar to Stifler in Road Trip, and for that, the fans were already familiar with his character. And glad to say he is still as wacky as in American Pie. Breckin Meyer as the calm and sympathetic guy is perfect as the leader and the glue that bonds the guys embarking on that trip. But of course for me personally, nothing beats Amy Smart who graces the screen with her adorable personality and for treating male viewers' eyes with her sensual appearance, yes it's a hot scene indeed. And talking about gracing the screen, you might expect to see a lot of women flesh in this movie from the extras, right? Well, you got that, not much though, but there's one scene where full frontal is the name of the game.

And while those beauties do make this comedy movie more enjoyable, the whole quality of Road Trip will be nothing without a good story and good laughing scenes. Josh, Ruben, E.L. and Kyle do some pretty crazy stuff and meet some pretty crazy people. They jump over a broken bridge with their car, pretending themselves as black guys and stay in the African American fraternity, donor their sperms to earn extra money, meet an indifferently jerk motel owner (Andy Dick) and the literally-dirty cook (Horatio Sanz), and those are just some of what you will get from this hilarious comedy flick.

It is nearly a decade into the 21st century but what Road Trip has in store with its good chemistry among the lead actors plus the tickling jokes of its comedy is still worth watching. If you are looking for a movie with good storyline, enjoyable pace, sincere acting, good looking girls and laughing moments, Road Trip is at the very least a solid rent. But for college movie fans, it's a solid-must-buy item.