The Trip To Spain Now Playing in Los Angeles

Often, I think I should have been born in Britain. Don’t get me wrong, I love being a California native but I’m also a total Anglophile. I love English literature (Anne Elliot is my spirit animal), enjoy a good cuppa (with milk, of course!) and have a soft spot for British humour. Lately, I’ve been addicted to the hilarious panel show, Would I Lie to You? hosted by the inimitable Rob Brydon. A huge star in England, yet little known in the US, he also co-stars with Steven Coogan (aha!) in the The Trip film series. I also am a big fan of those and was lucky enough to preview the latest release, The Trip to Spain, at the ultra cool NeueHouse in Hollywood.

If you’re unfamiliar with The Trip series (which is literally a TV series in the UK) it features Brydon and Coogan playing fictional versions of themselves touring various high end restaurants throughout Europe. In the initial feature, The Trip, the duo spent a week in Northern England and in the follow up, The Trip to Italy, they traveled throughout the Mediterranean country. In the third feature, The Trip to Spain, they visit some of the top gastronomic locales of the Spanish mainland.

Though works of fiction the The Trip series, directed by Michael Winterbottom, contains few plot elements and instead focuses on improvised conversations between the two comedians. Both expert impressionists much of the dialogue consists of the pair trying to outdo each other with their takes on such luminaries as Marlon Brando, Roger Moore and Michael Caine.

In addition to the interaction between the stars the films also includes behind the scenes footage at the restaurants visited and beautiful cinematography of the regions they travel to. In fact, this footage is what really makes me love the films. I love the interaction between the two stars but after three films it does get a bit repetitive (I never again need to hear Brydon’s Al Pacino). The scenery, on the other hand, never gets old thanks to cinematographer, James Clarke.

Although not my favorite of the series (that would be The Trip) I still thoroughly enjoyed The Trip to Spain and was especially impressed by its unexpected ending. Whether you’re a fan of British comedy, fine dining or world travel The Trip to Spain will provide an enjoyable two hour escape. Currently playing at The Landmark on Pico it opens throughout Los Angeles on Friday.