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Larry Sullivan, Steve Braun, Sirena Irwin, Alexis Arquette, Ray Baker ... see more see more... , Jill St. John , Julie Brown , David Mixner , Dennis Bailey , Alfred Dennis , James Handy , Art Hindle , Connie Sawyer , Rosemary Alexander , Miles Swain , Serena Irwin

Stretching from the 1970s to the 1990s, The Trip chronicles the often turbulent romance between two gay men. One night in 1973, teenagers Tommy (Steve Braun) and Alan (Larry Sullivan) meet at an L.A. ... read more read more...party. While Tommy is openly gay and organizes for gay civil rights, Alan, an aspiring journalist, is a repressed, button-down member of the Young Republicans who is working on his first book, a thick volume about the evils of homosexuality. On the pretext of interviewing him for his book, Alan invites Tommy to his house for dinner, where the sexual tension between the two is so throbbingly blatant that Alan's girlfriend makes a hasty exit. An intense romance between the two men follows. When we next see them, it's 1976, and Alan's book has been published anonymously and is being used by right-wingers who are supporting Anita Bryant's "Save Our Children" campaign in Florida. Unfortunately, Tommy finds out that Alan wrote the book and leaves him, and subsequently takes up with Peter (Ray Baker) an affluent closet case. It isn't until the '90s that Alan and Tommy meet again, and are confronted by the romance they thought they had long left behind. The Trip was screened at the 2002 Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi

Flixster Users

70% liked it

2,848 ratings

Critics

39% liked it

31 critics

R, 1 hr. 35 min.

Directed by: Miles Swain

Release Date: May 9, 2003

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DVD Release Date: December 9, 2003

Stats: 180 reviews

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Larry Sullivan in The Trip Steve Braun & Larry Sullivan in The Trip Steve Braun & Larry Sullivan in The Trip Steve Braun & Larry Sullivan in The Trip
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Flixster Reviews (180)

  • jjnxn
    April 13, 2010
    jjnxn
    A captivating small film dealing with the relationship of two gay men over many years and the surrounding upheaval of the gay movement. Many wonderful supporting performances contribute to the overall goodwill of the film. Sirena Irwin is a sketch as Beverly the trend jumping gre... read moreek chorus and Jill St. John an absolute scene stealer as Alan's boozy wise mom. The musical score is also loaded with excellent choices which really set the right tone for each scene. It all boils down however to the chemistry and performances of the two lead actors which are strong and makes you really like and root for the characters through their journey.
  • danieljparsons
    April 28, 2009
    danieljparsons
    "Can you get me your supervisor please, or maybe a human being if you've got one back there?"

    Well, that was unexpected. Not only is The Trip good, it's damn good. Ok, so it's yet ANOTHER story where AIDS rears its ugly head to claim the life of an undeser

    ... read moreving gay guy, but at least the story here is told with a fair amount of conviction and good intentions. Spanning over a decade, The Trip cleverly uses archive footage from newsreels as well as music and fashions of the period. It's not exactly massively ambitious but looks like it was made for a good deal more money than was actually thrown at it, and the two lead performances are winning. Larry Sullivan is all goofy Jake Gyllenhall-esque with the odd temper tantrum, and is a pretty hot mess, despite some awful haircuts. Steve Braun has less range but makes the most of a slightly underwritten role, and has this Brad Pitt/Nick Stahl mix in him that works well. Both actors also age quite convincingly, which is always a hard trick to pull off. Also impressive is the photography - The Trip is beautifully lit. A couple of the scenes drag and are overplayed (one in which Alan's mum and kooky friend come to pay him a visit is especially cringy), but mostly the balance between drama and comedy is successful, and the final minutes are genuinely touching.
  • bobsteele0069
    November 19, 2008
    bobsteele0069
    I thoroughly enjoyed this film. The 2nd chance theory in this film rings true for love of all types. The question: Is it too late?" Is answered in a thoughtful and moving way. Have a tissue handy for this tearjerker.
  • EndyGay
    October 26, 2008
    EndyGay
    It's a very touching gay love movie. One of the actors, Larry Sullivan, is VERY hot. He had some shirtless scenes.
  • baltazarrocklove
    March 18, 2008
    baltazarrocklove
    a must see movie it keep's up waiting till the last minute one of the second best movie i have ever seen
  • homogayman7227
    February 8, 2008
    homogayman7227
    The greatest romantic story I've ever seen. I would love to with either or these men, or characters. How about a darkmeat sandwich?
  • polarizingu
    January 13, 2008
    polarizingu
    This is a wonderful movie that is very unlike other movies in it's genre in that it explores the relationship of a gay rights activist and a closeted Republican over an eleven year period.
  • kennyerj
    January 2, 2008
    kennyerj
    This was a pretty good movie. It's a gay romantic/comedy/drama film. It's not the best "gay" movie I've ever seen but I enjoyed it. I watched the "deleted scenes" in the special features and I tell you what, I think if they had used some of those scenes/versions of events instea... read mored, I would have given this 5 stars. Definitely worth watching and adding to your collection, especially if you can get it for under $6 like I did, lol.
  • gms1yygy
    December 18, 2007
    gms1yygy
    Oil and water should not mix; but they do, for a while, in this movie. But the movie is better than that and bigger than that. The movie uses clips to move through the 1970s ans 80s. Some of it is reflected in the lives and struggles of the two lead men.
  • atw1960
    February 16, 2007
    atw1960
    A very clevere,funny,warm-hearted,sad,involved Gay love story.goes from the 70's to early 90's,good acting,characters,a drama,with some comedy,yet reality as well.

View All The Trip Reviews

Critic Reviews

Randy Cordova
September 25, 2003
Randy Cordova, Arizona Republic

Despite its flaws, it eventually gets under your skin and is sweetly moving.

Roger Moore
September 5, 2003
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

There is absolutely nothing that hasn't been said more compellingly and originally somewhere else, and said often.

Wesley Morris
August 1, 2003
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

By the time it's over you'll be able to fill a bumper sticker with everything you've learned. Full Review

Charles Ealy
July 21, 2003
Charles Ealy, Dallas Morning News

The screenplay has huge holes, character motivations are inexplicable, the tone switches from serious to loopy and back to serious, and the editing is choppy and uneven. Full Review

John Monaghan
July 10, 2003
John Monaghan, Detroit Free Press

The Trip almost dares you not to like it, even when its script heads in all the wrong directions. Full Review

Carrie Rickey
June 19, 2003
Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer

Riddled with romantic and political cliches but is often redeemed by the charismatic performances of Braun and Sullivan.

Kevin Thomas
June 5, 2003
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

A journey well worth taking, encompassing a tender, wrenching love story set against an 11-year span of the gay rights movement, from 1973 to 1984. Full Review

Curt Fields
June 2, 2003
Curt Fields, Washington Post

This is a trip where you will likely find yourself asking, 'Are we there yet?' Full Review

Bruce Westbrook
May 29, 2003
Bruce Westbrook, Houston Chronicle

[Swain] takes too many cheap shots at paper-tiger antagonists, and settles for melodrama when quiet warmth would suffice. Full Review

C.W. Nevius
May 23, 2003
C.W. Nevius, San Francisco Chronicle

It is never a good sign when the audience is two steps ahead of the characters on the screen. Waiting for them to catch up wears everyone out. Full Review

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The Trip Trivia

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