"The Trip to Spain," the third in a series of films from director Michael Winterbottom, is in many ways an exercise in ego, a series that posits that in some way the dinner conversations and travel habits of two talented actors of relatively marginal fame is worth not just one but three films.
The kicker, of course, is that the films are correct: Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon's cafe talk makes for films of fun and whimsy, with just enough drama and sadness added in for the perfect mix. Coogan ("Philomena") and Brydon ("The Huntsman: Winter's War") play presumably fictionalized versions of themselves, two middle-aged men of considerable charm and talent who also let their egos, neuroses and flaws flow freely for the camera.
The narrative is rather loose, centering on Coogan's quest to write a book about travelling, asking his friend Rob to again join him along the way, at least until Coogan's son can join him later in the trip. Brydon, wanting to get out of a house full of young kids, eagerly agrees.
In between are picturesque shots of the Spanish countryside, quaint villas and rolling hills, of course all gorgeously filmed, buttressing scenes of Coogan and Brydon bantering with each other while doing impressions of Roger Moore and Michael Caine.
Along the way we learn about the personal lives of the men: Coogan is divorced and is eager to spend time on vacation with his college-student son, while Brydon is a new father late in life. They gleefully brag about famous actors they met at parties, trying to one-up the other with stories like how once Ian McKellan once told one of them he was a good actor.
It's here where the insecurities shine through. There's a fun realism at play here, as the two both try to impress each other, and become annoyed in a most British way with the constant passive-aggressive criticism. Brydon becomes irritated at how often Coogan mentions his success with "Philomena," while Coogan perpetually corrects Brydon's impressions, seemingly obsessed with showing how his Mick Jagger is just better. Their snipes never really reach a boiling point, but you can see the tension simmering between them.
The whole thing could rightly be called "Before Sunrise: The Bromance," as Winterbottom's film shares plenty of talky similarities with Richard Linklater's trilogy, albeit if Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy were both straight, middle-aged British men. If their interactions are not particularly meaty or profound, they are certainly fun and breezy, even as the heavier aspects of life weigh down on them.
"The Trip to Spain" is the kind of movie you can watch multiple times, one that you can just put on and play in the background, returning every few minutes for a smile, but one that can also be viewed closely, looking for new details that come out in the conversation. The acting is splendid and has depth, and while the plot is light, it sits below the surface patiently.