Hidden camera hijinks fill the humorous Bad Trip

Comedians Eric Andre, Lil Rel Howery, and Tiffany Haddish join forces in the Netflix hidden camera comedy Bad Trip. Directed by Kitao Sakurai, Bad Trip follows Chris (Andre) and Bud (Howery), two best friends who kiss their dead-end jobs in Florida goodbye. The duo takes to the open road in a car ‘borrowed’ from Bud’s unhinged sister, Trina (Tiffany Haddish). Their mission…to reunite Chris with Maria (Michaela Conlin), the girl of his dreams. 

Bad Trip’s real fun is watching the never-ending stream of real-life innocent bystanders that the two characters encounter on their journey to New York, where the unsuspecting Maria awaits. Last year, I reviewed Eric Andre’s standup special that was painfully unfunny. This was surprising for me as I have a low-brow sense of humor, but I just could not find the humor in the special. My primary reason for seeing Bad Trip was to enjoy the comedic talents of Howery and Haddish.

Bad Trip’s screenplay is a triple collaboration between Dan Curry, Eric Andre, and Kitao Sakurai. The trio sets up the plot perfectly at the beginning of the film, with shenanigans for Chris at his car wash job. We are then introduced to the day-to-day antics of Bud and Trina. I liked the characters’ introduction as it sets up their personalities and carries them over through the film’s remainder. At its core, Bad Trip is primarily focused on Eric Andre, Lil Rel Howery, and Tiffany Haddish. The only other talent not in a character role is actress Michaela Conlin. The rest of the faces you see in the film features everyday people.

As with most comedies, if you can go into Bad Trip without having any of the hidden camera pranks revealed, it will make for a better viewing experience. Therefore, I will not disclose any of the antics or situations. Still, I will say I found the majority of the situations funny. Clocking in at under ninety minutes, Bad Trip never overstays its welcome. It correctly highlights the comedic talents of its lead trio.

Final Grade: B-

Bad Trip will be available to stream at  www.netflix.com/BadTrip  on Friday 26 March.