Never underestimate the power of a good Girls Trip.
This fearsome foursome of Girls Trip met in college and as the years turned into decades, their connection has frayed a bit due to the effects of that little something called time. An opportunity to reconnect arises as well as a chance to turn back the clock. It is also established quickly that each character has a bloody fantastic reason for needing this little “trip.” It all potentially could add up to another delightful comedy that makes you think (Think Like a Man, etc.) from producer Will Packer.
Ryan Pierce (Regina Hall) has rocketed to the top of the pop culture world as an expert on all things love and life. Sasha Franklin (Queen Latifah) runs a gossip-y website whose days of ruling the net may just be in the past. Meanwhile, mom Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith) is divorced and living with her mother. Her desire for this friendly reunion is something she wants and needs, more than she’ll realize it until she is in the midst of all its glory. Stealing scenes left and right, and serving as the most boisterous of the laughter-garnering cast members, is a revelation of a performance by Tiffany Haddish as the delightfully dynamite Dina.
They are heading to New Orleans to celebrate the Essence Festival where their girl Ryan will be collecting an award. She and her ex-NFL star husband have turned their love affair into a highly profitable and inspiring world, largely thanks to Ryan’s expertise. There are deals on the table to make the couple even wealthier, and issues between them may just make that a challenge. Adding their two cents, of course, is her crew.
All are ready to not only rage with each other like not a day has passed since college, but also to provide support, advice and to call anyone out who is pushing things. The latter is actually where the chemistry in Girls Trip seems the most scorching between these lovely ladies. Their friendship rings true because after the laughter quiets, each can be a firm reality check to the others. It is rare to see that in a motion picture, especially one with four female leads. There is no man stealing, there is no frivolous exposition wasted in a single moment in this film that allows a laser-like accuracy of situational comedy moments that come at you fast and furious, but also catch you off guard in that any single one of these women could be the subject of the humor as well as the one dishing it out.
Much credit has to go to director Malcolm D. Lee (The Best Man, Barbershop: The Next Cut). His command of his craft has only gotten fiercer over the years and the helmer manages to know exactly when to crank the raunchiness and when it needs to be more subtle. Lee is like a maestro with this picture, orchestrating the crescendos and decrescendos with such pitch perfect touches that there is no weak link here. Not the script, not the performances, the flow and most importantly, Lee has managed to give us a film about four female African American friends that transcends gender, race, age and every other box that could be checked. It is refreshing to just lose oneself in an R-rated comedy that also gives you much to think about and by the end, has you seeking out someone, anyone, to hail its high notes.
The cast shines and we feel the bonds of decades the moment this quartet interacts onscreen. It comes through immediately and only gets stronger once there are in the Crescent City. If there is one actress that deserves a spotlight, it is the revolutionary turn by Haddish. First of all, the things that come out of her mouth are priceless in a manner that is fall-out-of-your-seat hilarious. Secondly, she has impeccable timing and is an effortless ensemble member, who knows when to step up and when to step back and support. Like occurred with Melissa McCarthy and Bridesmaids, history will look back at Girls Trip and Haddish’s performance as that the moment that catapulted her to stardom.
As for the film itself, it too should be seen as a watershed moment in Hollywood. It’s not going to win any awards or even make it on to anyone’s Top 10 list at the close of the year. Girls Trip is a huge step forward and hopefully it will be successful so that Hollywood will produce more fare like this and will not shy away from casting four people of color, four females of color, in a co-headlining vehicle that presents each in the most positive of ways, regardless of what it is they are doing on the screen.
These are women being women. These are friends being friends. And in the end, that transcends every definition of historic in a way that we wish we didn’t have to salute. After all, it is 2017 for goodness sakes. Yet, we do because Girls Trip is a rarity in Hollywood that we hope finds company and really soon. We are a diverse population, it’s about time that a movie reflected that in a positive manner that is simultaneously hilarious, heartfelt and hauntingly human in the best of ways.
Lastly, producer Packer also needs a shout out. The uber-talent has a touch that is downright Midas-like and it truly gets exhibited to its fullest in Girls Trip. He knows the human spirit and with each successful film he releases, he inches ever closer to capturing us in a way that is almost mirror-like. His comedies are never simply LOL moments strung together. Oh no, his web is woven in a manner that has layers of emotion, real life parallels and a freshness to it that is all-too rare in Tinsel Town.
Grade: B+