Barbra Streisand, you confuse me … your diva shell game makes no sense. You wish to protect your legend, your image, your sanity … then why come out of hiding just for crap like Meet the Fockers and The Guilt Trip?
Andrew (Seth Rogen) is an organic chemist with a dream. His non-toxic cleaning invention is Scieoclean (“Sigh-oh-kleen”). There’s no shortage of script attacking that particular name, so I’ll leave it alone. We are told he’s a good chemist, which perhaps atones for his lack of chemistry. He’s a piss-poor salesman – so poor you actually wonder how he got interviews in the first place. You gotta have a decent pitch just to make a decent pitch, doncha? But this film isn’t about Seth; it’s about Babs, of course. Joyce (Babs) is Andrew’s 
overprotective mother. These days we’d call her a “helicopter parent.” This is comedy with diva Barbra, so it’s less ordinary helicopter and more like a Blackhawk rescue mission of parenting intensity. By contrast, Andrew is rather passive. [monotone] oh my. I cannot see where this is going at all [/monotone]
Andrew has several stops lined up on his US Rejection Tour and starts by visiting mom in Jersey. We learn mom has a thing for frogs. Nice try, fellas. I’m not that easy. Over dinner, single Babs confesses a love for a pre-Andrew man, giving Andrew the idea to track down his mother’s would-be fella [monotone] oh my. I cannot see where this is going at all [/monotone] Why, I haven’t this little fun with a road pic since Downey and Galafinakis, Galafinokiss, Galaphino since Downey in Due Date.
Ah, what fun, road adventures with Rogen and Streisand. Seriously, even if you loooooove Barbra Streisand, if you’re one of these folks who think mystic energy emanates from the woman’s nose … would you really want to see her power down a 70 oz. steak? Accessible Babs might just be more creepy than Brando Babs. And do try the Brando Babs if you’re feeling nauseous; they’ll work wonders!
There are worse films out there, to be certain, but nothing in The Guilt Trip is worth staying to the predictable conclusion. If you leave early, you’ll understand what happiness is.
♪Memory
All alone at the theater
I can smile at old days
Your films didn’t suck long ago
I remember What’s Up Doc? and Way We Were
You’re now living on borrowed time. ♫
Rated PG-13, 95 Minutes
D: Anne Fletcher
W: Dan Fogelman
Genre: Babs road trip
Type of person most likely to enjoy this film: Barbrawawas
Type of person least likely to enjoy this film: People who have a life
