EuroTrip

First of all: Greetings from a guy living somewhere in between the Brussels sprouts, hahahaha. That's right, I'm from Belgium, you know the place that no-one really knows, not even the Europeans...

Even though I expected to really hate this movie, I have to admit that I had a lot of fun watching it. I loved to see how they magnified the stereotypes about the French, the English, The Germans,... and made fun about the Catholic church. Some people pointed out that it was clear that the makers really don't know anything about the countries they were making jokes about. Possible, but it didn't bother me once. It's a comedy, not a traveler's guide!

This is how the story goes: A teenager is dumped by his girlfriend on the day of their graduation. He has contact with a German girl, called Mieke, but he thought it was a guy called Mike. Knowing this and after he has seen her photo, he decides to pay her a visit in Berlin. But of course they don't just end up in Berlin. They start their trip in London, going to Paris, Amsterdam and Bratislava before getting to Berlin...

The movie's script or the plot were probably the least of the director's concerns. It's clear that they just wanted to go to Europe, have some fun and film one hilarious situation after the other. I've got the feeling that most of the European viewers didn't mind being the subject of the movie. Yes it's crude and yes it doesn't show anything about how Europe really is, but it's also incredibly funny. I give it an 8/10 for that.

Most negative reviews seem to miss the point that the movie is not making stereotypes of European countries and cultures. It is making fun of American stereotypes of those cultures. While most comedies start funny and at some point get serious with a need for a plot that loses all the humor, EuroTrip keeps building momentum throughout. Watch it, and then watch it again.

Comedies like this is hard to rate. It's a bad movie, technically, acting-wise and in many other aspects. But it's funny, no denying that. After all, isn't that what comedies are about?

You would think a comedy like this would appeal only to Americans, but you are wrong. I know Germans, Aussies, Swedes and Hollanders who like this movie. I'm sure there are Brits, Italians, Eastern Europeans and Balkans who like it as well. You have to be able to laugh at yourself.

What the movie is about is a bunch of typical teens going for a little quest through Europe in search of the dream girl. Nothing new here. The misadventures on the way, the xenophobic jokes and stereotypes and odd characters are what you laugh at. Vinnie Jones as a crazy ManU supporter, Rade Serbedzija as a Bratislavian truck driver, and many other not that well- known actors doing silly and memorable roles.

Some scenes work, some don't. Some are really funny, like the robot battle outside the Louvren, and the Italian pervert smoking a post-sex cigarette. Matt Damon turns up somewhat unexpectedly in the USA and sings the catchy "Scotty doesn't know" song.

All in all, this is a great comedy to watch with your friends, and even better in international company.

Eurotrip may have been panned by critics, but most of my millennial friends hold it up as a classic raunch-com. It is truly hilarious. And you can't help but walk away from watching it while singing "Scotty doesn't know..."

First off this movie is definitely not for families. There are some scenes that some might not like or depending may find offensive but I found this movie funny, even today it still makes me laugh.

It's no academy award winner but no one is asking it to be. It's a funny, at times raunchy comedy that knows what it is and delivers that comic escape from a world that lately has gone insane quite well.