Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon reprise their roles as (respectively) "Steve Coogan" and "Rob Brydon" for the third time, following "Tristram Shandy: a Cock and Bull Story", and "The Trip": they play slightly caricatured versions of themselves, seeking constantly to one-up each other with their mastery of verbal dexterity and mimicry. "Coogan", the more successful actor, tries to keep "Brydon" in his place, and "Brydon" shows no willingness to stay there. Underneath all the banter, the two are given to insecurities and intimations of mortality. The scenery, the food, and the women are gorgeous, and the duo partake of it all: the arrival of "Coogan"'s PA, and his "son", bring the film (and, one supposes, the series) to a surprisingly relaxed and companionable close. Altogether, it's been a splendid journey.
Review of The Trip to Italy
