Boat Trip film review

certificate_15

BOAT TRIP

If you want to make a subtle and sensitive film about sexual politics, then Hollywood is almost certainly not the best place to pitch your script.

Boat Trip is a garish, and often offensive adult comedy about two men who pretend to be gay, then use their newly acquired pink status to paw women and land themselves dates.

Jerry (Cuba Gooding Jr) is a computer programmer whose life appears to be on the up. His job prospects are good, he owns a swanky open-plan apartment, his faithful dog adores him, and he's about to propose to long-term girlfriend Felicia (Vivica A Fox) during a romantic hot air balloon ride.

Unfortunately, Felicia turns him down, and rubs salt into the wounds by announcing that she is leaving to be with another man, who can attend to her needs and satisfy her in the bedroom. Jerry is plunged into despair, and allows his world to crash and burn around him. Knee-deep in self-pity, Jerry can see no escape from his misery, until best pal Nick (Horatio Sanz) suggests they both take a cruise where they can ogle lots of buxom, bikini-clad women, and perhaps find Jerry some female company to take his mind off Felicia.

By an outrageous twist of misfortune, which begins with a road rage incident and ends with a shambolic visit to the travel agents, the two bachelors find themselves aboard a cruise exclusively for gay men. By the time they realise the error, the liner is already at sea, and therefore Jerry and Nick are forced to pretend to be a couple for the sake of appearances, and to fend off the libidinous advances of suave and wealthy Lloyd (Roger Moore).

Nick is soon is his element, especially when the boat stops to rescue the Swedish national all-girl sun-tanning team, and he accepts the mantle of chief lotion carrier. Despite his reservations, Jerry too gets into the swing of things, especially when he meets beautiful dance teacher Gabriela (Roselyn Sanchez). Of course, she thinks he is with Nick, and pays little attention to his flirtatiousness. If only she knew he were straight...

Four writers, including first-time feature director Mort Nathan, cobbled together the screenplay, which gets its cheap laughs from poking fun at the characters, and their preposterous predicament.

The film's attitude towards gay men is to depict them as stereotypes - thus, we see a variety of cross-dressers, old lechs, men in dog collars, and a fancy dress revellers who wouldn't look out of place in the video to Y.M.C.A.