I love the fact that a road trip comedy centering around the relationship between a mother and her only son was made and is being released during the holidays… I just wish it had been funny.

I know it’s heresy to say that something that Barbra Streisand has done is anything less than brilliant, but it’s the unfortunate truth in this instance. On the upside, it is in no way her fault.

Seth Rogen, who seems to have lost all of his charm along with the extra weight, plays one of the least likable characters I’ve seen in modern cinema. He’s a brainy inventor who is too arrogant to see that he’s the worst salesman on the planet. He’s invented an amazing cleaning product that is not only vastly superior in its capabilities to its competitors, but is also 100% ‘green.’ This stuff is so safe you can even drink it! Just try that with your standard bottle of Clorox under the sink and see what happens.

But in spite of all of this, he is unable to get anyone to agree to sell “Scioclean,” as he calls it, to their customers. He ignores every attempt made to give him advice on marketing, sales, etc. and in fact gets belligerent when someone implies that there is a better way to go.

As an entrepreneur myself, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I was actually rooting for him to fail. In fact, the entire movie I was hoping someone would come along and steal “Scioclean” out from under him and do things the right way.

In any event, he decides to make one last ditch effort at finding someone to sell this stuff, so he plans a road trip across the country where he has set up meetings with some of the top retailers like Costco. Prompted by an unexpected admission from his mother the night before the trip is set to begin, he decides to invite her along.

At this point you have a mother and her only son, who she never sees but absolutely lives for, in a tiny rental car and in various crappy motel rooms for one week straight. The hilarity should now ensue… But it doesn’t.

Tired, obvious jokes and situations abound and Rogen becomes more and more unlikable with each passing minute.

Streisand, on the other hand, embodies her role perfectly and you grow to love here more and more. She is 1,000% this doting mother who will do absolutely anything for her son. You know that she wakes up every morning worrying about him and goes to sleep each night with a new idea for something that will either help him to reach the success that he’s been striving for or at the very least, make him smile.

And all the while Rogen is dismissive, annoyed and at times, down right mean.

I didn’t find this at all funny. I realize it’s very difficult to find a balance but the truth is had he played it softer, with an air of grateful amusement, rather than sheer disdain, it would have been a totally different movie.

The most puzzling part of this to me is that during the press conference these guys got along so well and played off each other with such amazing comic timing that you’d think any project they did together would be a laugh riot! Streisand, director Anne Fletcher and even Seth Rogen were all absolutely hysterical!

It may have been the poor script or some unknown dreadful conditions during filming, but something really fouled this thing up.

I do love, however, that someone took the time to explore this relationship dynamic. It’s immediately recognizable to any son regardless of your background or upbringing. And that’s the note that The Guilt Trip hits perfectly. Everything that happens is instantly relatable and honest. This film will have you looking at your own maternal relationship in a new light that might make you slightly uncomfortable. Let’s face it, no man ever feels like he’s been a good enough son. And watching someone else as he does a piss poor job of it can make us reevaluate our own actions and behaviors.

So, even though I was severely disappointed in how un-funny this film was, I do still think it’s something that every son should take his mom to see. You know she’ll be thrilled for a day out with her boy and after seeing how Rogen treats his mom, you may walk away finally feeling like you actually ARE the perfect son!

Synopsis:

An inventor and his mom hit the road together so he can sell his latest invention.