The Trip to Italy (2014)

This sequel to 2010's THE TRIP follows Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon as they embark on another all-expenses-paid tour to write restaurant reviews, this time through major tourist destinations in Italy. It's pleasant enough -- though at 108 minutes rather overlong -- with Michael Winterbottom's direction nicely showcasing the beautiful scenery, but overall it feels like a rehash of the material from the earlier film, particularly with Coogan and Brydon's celebrity impressions. Part comedy and part travelogue, it's often amusing and occasionally laugh-out-loud funny, though infused with a sometimes melancholy and reflective tone on such topics as family, aging, and success that adds a poignant undertone to the humor.