Have you ever gone on a vacation, but the airline lost your bag? Maybe, you’re driving to a destination just a few hours away, but got a flat tire. If you think you’ve had some chaotic adventure experiences, just wait until you see this one. “Bad Trip” slid in hot on Netflix on March 26 and is a must-see. The movie, starring Eric Andre, Lil Rel Howery, Tiffany Haddish and Michaela Conlin, is a collection of organized and hilarious pranks on the unsuspecting public as two friends take a road trip up the coastline in the name of true love. Not only did I get to watch this absolutely hilarious collection of public pranks, but I had the honor of sitting down on a roundtable interview with Andre, Howery and Conlin to talk about the film and their experience creating it.
If you’re a fan of other prank films, you’re sure to enjoy this one. Andre teamed up with Jeff Tremaine of “Jackass: The Movie,” Ruben Fleischer of “Zombieland” and David Bernad of “Zombieland: Double Tap” to produce this culmination of orchestrated chaos and comedy. The producers, along with director Kitao Sakurai, took inspiration from hidden camera comedies that came in the years past.
“I took a lot of inspiration from [Johnny Knoxville, Jeff Tremaine and Sacha Baron Cohen]. Those guys are like my comedy forefathers. I think that I have my own brand of absurdity and comedic point of view that differentiates it from other stuff. I’m also excited that we’re the first all people of color cast to do a hidden camera prank movie,” said Andre.
Wait a moment before you write “Bad Trip” off as just another prank film, though. While it does take a lot of aspects from impromptu acting and hidden camera pranks, it also clings onto a cohesive and lighthearted storyline. Two friends embark on a journey up the east coast to reunite Andre’s character with his self-proclaimed true love. Along the way, the pair encounter numerous roadblocks, both literally and metaphorically.
The commitment to both the characters and the pranks by all of the starring actors and actresses really draws the audience into the film. It’s like watching a story unfold in real time. While it isn’t Andre’s first experience with pranking on film, Conlin and Howery are newbies, so to speak. However, this wasn’t apparent in either of their performances. It seemed like the pair had been pulling pranks and telling jokes for years.
“Nothing really prepares you for it until you do it, but Rel and Michaela are just incredible actors and performers. They got the hang of it right away and adjusted, and made the performance their own just as well as any veteran prankster,” explained Andre. “Tiffany as well. They know how to commit under any circumstances and under any pressure because they are professional.”
One of the funniest and surprisingly heartwarming things about the film is the responses of the strangers. Many people, totally unaware that they’re being pranked, are more often than not willing to lend a hand to the characters in their times of need. In one scene, Andre and Howery’s characters get into a heated argument, which, if it had not been fictional, may have become physical. However, a bystander separated them and took time to calm them down. In another scene, Conlin’s character breaks down in tears after a huge disaster at her job. Several women who were hired by the film to clean up after the chaos — but were unaware that it was all orchestrated by the movie — offered her comfort.
“People were so nice to me, they were so kind. They gave me such good, soft hugs and this woman whispered in my ear that it would be okay. They were complete strangers, but they were just so sweet and lovely,” said Conlin.
This movie has you smiling so much your face hurts after watching it. It has you wanting to confess your love, call up your best friend and talk about all the adventures you’ve been on together or share a joke with your family. Most of all, this movie has you laughing. Check out “Bad Trip” on Netflix March 26.
