Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Friday 21 July 2017
Review: ‘Girls Trip’ a wonderfully hilarious destination

By SANDY COHEN success. Their agent (Kate ing is gratuitous. The story
AP Entertainment Writer Walsh), who insists on awk- is both outrageous and
Get ready to know the wardly using street slang, realistic, grounded by the
name Tiffany Haddish. If warns Ryan against getting women’s friendship.
there were such a thing as too “turned” over her girls’ Because the film was ac-
Comedy Oscars, she would weekend, lest she jeopar- tually shot during the Es-
win for “Girls Trip .” dize the deal. sence Festival, there are
Like Melissa McCarthy in The posse’s trouble begins countless cameos. Look
“Bridesmaids,” Haddish when Sasha receives a pa- for Mariah Carey, Maxwell,
steals this film from her parazzi picture of Stewart Ava DuVernay, Terry McMil-
big-name co-stars: Queen in a compromising position. lan, Iyanla Vanzant, Mor-
Latifah, Regina Hall and Could it be the perfect ris Chestnut, Faith Evans,
This image released by Universal Pictures shows, from left, Tiffany
Haddish, Regina Hall, Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith in a Jada Pinkett Smith. All four couple isn’t so perfect after Common, Diddy, Ne-Yo,
scene from the comedy “Girls Trip.” actresses have shining all? What about their lucra- Doug E. Fresh and many
Associated Press moments of comedy and tive contract? others.
heart in director Malcolm The women in “Girls Trip” This film delivers for all adult
D. Lee’s ode to female are so distinct and well- audiences. Regardless of
friendships, thanks to the drawn, they’re universally your race or gender, you’ll
winning script by Kenya relatable. Everyone has a be laughing all the way
Barris (“black-ish”) and Tra- wild friend they wish was home. The members of the
cy Oliver (“Barbershop: The like Dina or one as tightly Flossy Posse are fully real-
Next Cut”), but Haddish wound as Lisa. Many of ized people: accomplished
emerges as the most mem- us know people so driven people trying to have fun
orable. She has a scene they might compromise and find themselves as
with a grapefruit that will their personal standards to they navigate their grown-
go down in the annals of achieve more public goals. up lives. They just do it with
hilarious movie moments. If only we were all as glam- more outrageous swagger
The “Girls Trip” here is to orous as Sasha, who con- than most.
the Essence Festival in New sistently rocks incredible I can’t wait to see this film
Orleans. A group of friends hairdos, as composed as again (and again), and to
who called themselves the Ryan or as riotous as Dina, watch Haddish in whatever
Flossy Posse back in col- who’s like Id personified. she does next.
lege in the ‘90s travel there Her enumeration of what “Girls Trip,” a Universal Pic-
for a long-awaited reunion she plans to do to Stewart tures release, is rated R by
after one of their members, in revenge for his scandal- the Motion Picture Asso-
self-help guru Ryan (Hall), ous photo is another scene- ciation of America for “for
is invited to give the festi- stealing moment. Her plans crude and sexual content
val’s keynote speech. She’s are so graphic, they can’t throughout, pervasive lan-
joined by her longtime be printed here. The Flossy guage, brief graphic nu-
besties: Journalist Sasha Posse is #friendshipgoals. dity, and drug material.”
(Latifah), who runs a ce- “Girls Trip” definitely earns Running time: 122 minutes.
lebrity-gossip website; Lisa its R rating. There’s crude Three and a half stars out of
(Pinkett Smith), an uptight, language, overt sexual four.
divorced nurse with two jokes, drug references, MPAA definition of R: Re-
young children, and brash, public urination, bar fights stricted. Under 17 requires
outspoken Dina (Haddish), and full-frontal male nudity. accompanying parent or
who hasn’t stopped party- And, girl, is it funny. Noth- adult guardian.q
ing since graduation.
Ryan and her retired foot-
ball star husband Stew-
art (Mike Coulter) have
billed themselves as the
couple that has it all, and
they have a lot riding on
her Essence appearance:
They’re poised to sign a
major corporate contract
at the festival that would
bring them Oprah-level

budgetaruba@setarnet.aw