Review of Couch Trip, The

Introduction

Another day, another MGM back catalogue disc to review, with its distinctly average specifications. While MGM have done a sterling job bringing out titles that been gathering dust for decades, they also seem to expend the least amount of effort into tarting them up for the DVD generation. The Couch Trip is one of those eighties fish out of water comedies that were popular for a while. In the vein of Brewster`s Millions or Trading Places, these comedies typically took an unlikely character and put him into an unexpected position of power and let loose with the culture shock hi-jinks. Our hero would normally triumph through sheer force of personality, and any bad guys in attendance would be roundly humiliated.

John Burns is an inmate at a Chicago correctional facility for the mentally maladjusted. However he is not as nutty as he appears to be, taking the easy alternative to prison by virtue of excessive radiator licking. He also relishes annoying the prison psychiatrist Lawrence Baird at every opportunity, but of course he goes too far and Baird threatens to sign the order to have him returned to prison, or worse. Meanwhile in LA, a guilt ridden radio psychiatrist is having a nervous breakdown. George Maitlin is a celebrity shrink of the highest order whose show is worth millions. Maitlin agrees to take a sabbatical on the advice of his agent and heads off to London. All that`s left is to find a mediocre shrink lacking in charisma to keep his show ticking over for six months. The perfect lacklustre candidate is one Lawrence Baird. When Baird`s phone rings in Chicago, Burns, who sees an opportunity to make some serious cash as well as escaping from his captivity, intercepts the call. When he gets to LA, he quickly establishes himself as a charming celebrity who instantly captures a massive audience. This is despite being recognised by a down and out priest who`ll continue to prick his conscience at inopportune moments.

Video

A 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer graces this disc. The picture is grainy and a little soft. There is a little dirt, but you`ll notice the grain first.

Audio

DD 2.0 English, German, French and Spanish. No glaring problems, dialogue is fine and audible, music is OK.

Features

If you guessed trailer and subtitles then go to the head of the class.

Conclusion

As I review more and more MGM back catalogue titles, and I come once again to write about the picture, sound and extras, I find myself losing the will to live. There is nothing especially wrong with the disc and it is perfectly watchable. The picture is acceptable as is the sound, and I can understand the economics in not going the extra mile with features on films that won`t have large audiences. It`s just that writing the same thing again and again, for disc after disc can sap the soul. It`s gotten to the point where a 2.35:1 ratio on an MGM disc will have me jumping for joy at the sheer surprise.

The film? As I mentioned in the introduction, it is your typical fish out of water comedy that typified the eighties. It takes the premise of lunatics taking over the asylum and goes the extra mile with it having an inmate dispensing psychiatric advice. It helps that he isn`t actually nuts of course. That would cross a line that audiences wouldn`t be prepared for and this is after all a light comedy. There is also the added enjoyment of seeing someone do a multimillion-dollar job that he isn`t at all qualified for and to do it better than the professionals. The script is nothing special, but what makes the film a cut above the average, are the performances from the three main characters.

Dan Aykroyd plays Burns and his sheer effervescence and charisma make what could be an unlovable character wholly endearing. He says and does the most outrageous things yet he does so with a twinkle in the eye and a cheeky grin that begs instant forgiveness. As a blagger he even manages to put Ferris Bueller to shame. But Walter Matthau as Donald Becker steals the film in every scene that he is in. His weathered face and irascible attitude make for a loveable curmudgeon with a unique way with the ladies. Finally there is the much-underrated Charles Grodin as George Maitlin, who underplays the character almost into invisibility, but as the film progresses he undergoes a slow burn that sees a different shade of red in every successive scene. His inevitable explosion at the film`s climax is a great payoff.

This is an average eighties comedy made good through the excellent cast. If you have 90 minutes to spare, then the Couch Trip is an entertaining diversion, well worth a rent.