
Not All Movies Are Blockbusters or Critically Acclaimed. For Every Avatar and Slumdog Millionaire...There are Ten Giglis. Somewhere in Between Most Films Live in the DVD/BluRay World Waiting For Us.
This month's candidate for reincarnation is The Guilt Trip starring Seth Rogen and Barbara Streisand. The movie boasted the presence of a living legend and one of the hottest young writers/actors. Yet the film barely broke even at the domestic box office. It eeked out a sparse $41 Million on a $40 Million budget. Despite generally favorable reviews, Guilt Trip came and went so fast it wasn't even a conflicted journey.
Unfortunately, The Guilt Trip was not a victim of a miscarriage of justice...it deserved it's echo laced theater run. Their was very little chemistry between the two main characters. The on screen bond or lack there of made it impossible to justify ten bucks.
On paper, it would seem that Rogen and Streisand would be a Mother/Son match made in heaven. Both have that rapid fire delivery with some chutzpah. At the same time, Rogen and Streisand have always managed to remain loveable while delivering one-liners. Unfortunately, the bad chemistry and overdone mother/son strained relationship plot made a deep hole to climb from.
With that said, the movie has some redeeming qualities. Seth and Barbara do not set the world on fire as a duo but still entertain individually. Both have some funny lines here and there that are good for a few laughs. Watching the story unfold and the characters relationship grow is touching to anyone that loves their mom. It makes for an entertaining and economic way to enjoy a night with family or a significant other.
I will charitably give The Guilt Trip a 6.5 out of 10 out of respect to the talent and honest effort involved in this misguided feel good story. By no means was this a movie worth going into debt to go see...but there are worse ways to kill a night at home.