Eric André made my Netflix subscription worth it.
I may be in the minority, but Netflix has been going downhill in recent years. Since they started removing films and television shows (who thought to remove “Malcolm in the Middle?”) and replacing them with their own originals and “binge-worthy” shows, it became impossible to find anything worthwhile to watch. My 10 dollars a month subscription seemed like a complete waste until Eric André graced the Netflix stage.
If you are unfamiliar with Eric André’s work, you should change that. He is one of the greatest comedians of our time. André was born in Boca Raton, Florida to a Jewish mother and Haitian father — he identifies as both Black and Jewish. He graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2005 where he played double bass and began his comedy career. He is well-known for his show on Adult Swim — the adult-oriented, late-night block on Cartoon Network — called “The Eric André Show” where he and his former co-host Hannibal Bures, would perform pranks, sketches and celebrity interviews with a great element of explicit and shock humor. “The Eric André Show” has been running strong since 2012.
Last year, on Jun. 20, 2020, Eric André released his stand-up comedy special “Legalize Everything,” which is the greatest Netflix comedy special since John Mulaney’s “The Comeback Kid” in 2015. This was the comedian’s first original stand-up comedy special, and it served as a loud welcome for his new and dedicated fans alike. His signature energetic, loud and rambunctious delivery of jokes about drugs, sex, more drugs and even more drugs isn’t lost in the traditional stand-up style.
Nearly a year later, Eric André officially released his long-awaited film “Bad Trip,” and it doesn’t disappoint. “Bad Trip” is chaos — pure pandemonium — and it’s just what the world needs. The film follows two best friends Chris (Eric André) and Bud (Lil Rel Howery) on a road trip in Bud’s escape convict sister’s (Tiffany Haddish) hot pink Bad B*tch car from Florida to New York, so Chris can confess his love to his high school crush Maria. Yes, it’s a simple plot, but what makes this film so complex is that it’s comprised of candid, real moments. It’s a hidden camera film similar to “Borat” and the shenanigans of the “Jackass” franchise, yet this film feels completely fresh.
The film starts with Chris working in a car wash where he sees Maria, the love of his life, but when his clothes are ripped off by the car vacuum, he misses his chance to get Maria’s number. We are then transported to Bud, Chris’s best friend, at work in a computer shop where his criminal sister, Trina, comes to visit him. During her brief and abrupt visit, she steals the money from the cash register, and the two women are in shock as she takes the money, removes her ankle monitor and drives away in her pink car. A year later, a plumber enters Chris's house, and the film truly begins.
After getting Maria’s business card, Chris and Bud borrow Trina’s car — who they think is still in jail — and head to New York City to reunite the soulmates. Along the way, they encounter people in different towns, get themselves into trouble and are on the run from Trina, who is convinced her little brother stole her Bad B*tch mobile.
It’s a raunchy, unfiltered, trippy comedy that did not disappoint. I am normally a harsh critic when it comes to music and films — I have given a zero shamrock rating before — but this one is nearly perfect ... and the only reason I still have my Netflix subscription.
Film: “Bad Trip”
Starring: Eric André, Tiffany Haddish, Lil Rel Howery
If you like: “Borat,” “Jackass,” “The Eric André Show”
Where to watch: Netflix
Shamrocks: 4.5 out of 5
Read More
Trending
