GIRLS TRIP: A Fun Romp That Is Raunchy Yet Intimate

For my money, Girls Trip is not only one of the best surprises that I have seen so far this year but also the funniest film so far this year. As of now, it has been a ho-hum year for comedies, especially R-rated comedies, but Girls Trip single handedly saves it with its laugh out loud humor and colorful chemistry between the cast members mixed with surprising emotional depth that sets it apart from other raunchy comedies before it.

Girls Trip

Girls Trip follows the story of four friends that refer to themselves as the “Flossy Posse”: Ryan (Regina Hall), Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith), Sasha (Queen Latifah), and Dina (Tiffany Haddish). They have been friends since college but have moved on with their lives since then. Ryan is a famous lifestyle guru, Lisa is a divorced single mother, Sasha is a struggling celebrity blogger, and Dina is still the same raucous party girl she was before even as she has entered the workforce.

But once Ryan is invited as a keynote speaker at the Essence Music Festival down in New Orleans, the girls then reunite as they come along with her. In an all-expenses paid trip, all four women revisit their wild sides by engaging in nights of partying while attempting to strengthen their bond once secrets start to become revealed.

Not As Rough As Rough Night

Comparisons will understandably be made between this and Rough Night because they’re both female-driven comedies coming out around the same time and are about a group of friends reuniting for a vacation to rekindle their friendship. But while Rough Night ended up just being The Hangover with women, Girls Trip is completely different and is done much better. Girls Trip delves more into the strong bond of lifelong friendship and how you can tell who a true friend is when they stick by you through thick and thin. There is hilarious raunchiness to be found, but the film still has plenty of heart.

Not only that, but the four main characters feel like actual characters. You have Ryan, the career-driven lifestyle expert hailed as the next Oprah who struggles to remain true to both herself and her brand; Lisa, the repressed party girl who slowly comes back out of her shell; Sasha, a blogger who resorts to celebrity gossip for clicks and financial stability even as it starts to put her friendships at stake, and Dina, the wild card who’s always down to party yet is still fiercely loyal to her friends.

Another thing that sets this apart from other raunchy comedies before it is its detailed focus on character as well as the chemistry between the leads. Even if the “road trip gone awry” storyline feels only slightly familiar, Girls Trip still rests entirely on the shoulders of its leading ladies and they all bring in their A-game.

A Star Is Born

However, as terrific as all four leading actresses are, the film still single handedly belongs to Tiffany Haddish as Dina. I have not seen a comedic performer break out in such a big way since Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids, and McCarthy scored an Oscar nomination for her performance. If there was any justice in this world, Tiffany Haddish herself would be in the Oscar race for Best Supporting Actress. She is just that impressive.

Every single line reading, facial expression, and use of physical comedy are all done expertly by her. In fact, most of the film’s humor stems from her performance because she is such an unpredictable force of nature. Whether she is doing something hilarious with a grapefruit or getting her friends drunk on absinthe, she is bound to make you laugh. I look forward to what the future holds for this breakout star.

Although I will say that seeing Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith co-star had me feeling pretty nostalgic because the last time they starred alongside each other was in the  1996 crime caper sisterhoods like this film does. Both actresses had terrific chemistry in that film and here it is no different.