Girls Trip

Year: 2017
Genre: Comedy
Directed: Malcolm D. Lee
Stars: Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tiffany Haddish, Larenz Tate, Mike Colter, Kate Walsh, Kofi Siriboe, Lara Grice, Deborah Ayorinde, Janeline Hayes, Ricky Wayne
Production: Universal Pictures

This movie is clearly not meant for me. Watching Girls Trip, I was about as out of my element as a foreign exchange student invited to a Quinceanera. Yet within Girls Trip's raunchy, immature frames lurks the ever present reminder of why I personally love going to the movies. Like any great medium of art, film connect us - it engages with audiences in meaningful ways and ask them to put themselves in the shoes of others. Such it is with Girls Trip a movie that beautifully juggles its ladies-on-the-prowl A-story with black woman empowerment sensibilities to yield a movie that I for one truly latched onto. It's also helps that it's f***ing funny to boot!

On behalf of condescending men everywhere...

We're introduced to the "Flossy Posse" via Regina Hall's expository voice-over. There's the rebellious Sasha (Latifah), the troublemaker Dina (Haddish) and den mother Lisa (Pinkett Smith) and of course ambitious queen bee Ryan (Hall), all of whom have drifted in and out of each other's lives since college. After the release of her latest book, and the promise of a talk show co-hosted by Ryan's retired football star husband (Colter), Ryan decides it's time to reconnect with her college friends. Thus they all take a trip to the Big Easy for the annual Essence Festival where, as the trailer suggests, the foursome causes enough trouble to give the guys from The Hangover (2009) a run for their money.

Bawdy, outrageous humor aside, Girls Trip aptly reinforces its themes with easygoing chemistry and solid characterization from all actresses involved. The characters, while obviously exaggerated archetypes, nevertheless feel incredibly real when placed in the all-important context of black sisterhood. Similarly themed films like the middling Rough Night (2017) mined its story elements (and humor) from easy internal conflicts between the characters. Here however the conflicts are largely external - Ryan's marriage becoming the film's focal point while her minor conflict with Sasha is a distant second.

I love you guys, but if you cross me I'll cut you #sorrynotsorry

It's a small change but one that yields interesting dynamics and feeds into an empowering unifying theme. It's a theme that feels obvious by the end but remains sincere until the credits roll with the girls constantly cheerleadering and supporting each other through various difficulties. Seeing the verdant possibilities in this, director Malcolm D. Lee injects a fun, easygoing energy into the proceedings. The film wonders through various comedic avenues (granted not all of them great) taking the time to really get to know the characters and bask in their closely-knit bond. And It's clear from all the natural banter that the actors themselves were given an atmosphere to really let loose.

And let loose they do with some of the most shocking, crass and uproariously funny bits I've seen in a movie so far this year. All four do their fair share of outrageous stunts though for her efforts Tiffany Haddish's Dina is almost always consistently on another level. She's the hair-trigger id of the "Flossy Posse;" a loyal one woman force of nature who is a mix between Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids (2011) and Samantha from Sex and the City (1998-2004), turnt to 11 for the purposes of making the Farrelly Brothers blush. All the other actresses involved should win some kind of award for sharing the screen with her and not busting a gut.

Perhaps we can start out with a clementine

Pound for pound, Girls Trip is the funniest movie of the year. It's a foul-mouthed, effortlessly crass tour-de-force of comedy that also has the benefit of being an ode to true friendship. Those who have experienced the bonds of sisterhood firsthand should bring the whole squad to see this hilarious movie. If on the other hand you're outside the prime demographic you should still do yourself a favor and watch it. If for no other reason than you'll never look at a grapefruit the same way again.

Final Grade: B+