Don't Trip

Despite the really too-revealing cover of this film, it focuses more on a lopsided friendship than horror. It's really quite funny. I found myself grinning widely and even chuckling at parts. It's definitely well-cast. The lead actor is convincing, and the supporting actor is really pretty wild in his portrayal. The lead's girlfriend is pretty good, too. I was surprised with the quality of the movie. It plays like a The Hangover movie, but with a much darker ending and insinuation throughout. Like many Letterboxd users, it seems, I was contacted by someone with the director to view a screener of it. That, of course, added to the fun of watching the movie. But honestly, I was thoroughly entertained by it. In the email that was sent to me, he asked me to watch it. So, I returned the email with a link to the book I'm working on writing for free download. Little did I know that the movie is exactly about not showing unpublished works to Hollywood people. Pretty ironic and funny. He wrote me back with the link to the screener, and a short paragraph that it was cool that I had written a book and that he looked forward to "digging in". Lol. Well, I'm still working on the book... Also, as a final note, the title is weird. Fun movie overall. Having just watched and really enjoyed Under the Silver Lake, this was really interesting. When I told coworkers about him reaching out to me because of Letterboxd, they seemed interested in joining Letterboxd.

Don't Trip (2025) is exactly the kind of movie Hollywood needed this year-sharp, unhinged, and so funny I had to pause twice just to recover. Alex Kugelman takes what should be a simple story about a struggling writer trying to get his script noticed... and turns it into a wild ride full of awkward friendships, Hollywood horror, and some of the best cringe-comedy I've seen in ages.

Dev (the desperate writer) is instantly relatable to anyone who has ever tried to "network up" or fake-confidence their way into an opportunity. And then there's Trip... oh man. Will Sennett plays him with such chaotic nepo-baby energy that you both love him and fear what he's going to do next. He's the kind of guy who invites you to a party, forgets he invited you, and somehow still gets you arrested by accident.

The humor lands hard-dry wit, absurd moments, and throwaway lines that keep coming back like cinematic boomerangs. But beneath the laughs, the film also nails the dark truth about Hollywood desperation: sometimes the scariest thing isn't failure... it's getting exactly what you asked for.

Kugelman balances satire, tension, and comedy in a way that feels fresh and fearless. This is the kind of debut that makes you go, "OK, this director is about to blow up."

Final verdict: Hilarious, uncomfortable in the best way, and completely unpredictable. If you've ever had a dream, a script, or a slightly unhinged friend-you're going to love this movie.