Movie Review: Eurotrip (2004)

The movie stars Scott Mechlowicz, Jacob Pitts, Michelle Trachtenberg, Travis Wester and Matt Damon.

I have seen this movie at least a half dozen times. However, it is easily one of my favorite travel-based comedies and, because of that, I ended up watching it again last night when I came across it on one of our movie channels.

I'm not really that big of a comedy fan and, under most circumstances, probably wouldn't enjoy a movie of this nature, mostly because, ever since becoming a parent, I'm not a huge fan of films that focus heavily on teenagers having sex. This movie, however, is definitely an exception to that.

The thing I love about this film is the various unexpected mini adventures they wind up in. This includes everything from being lost in Eastern Europe to accidentally impersonating the pope. While some of the scenes are, admittedly, a little ridiculous, there are quite a few others (such as the hilarious scene at the nude beach) that are very memorable.

Another thing I found I like about this movie is the way it manages to include some surprisingly clever running gags. This includes the two twins (Trachtenberg and Wester) making unintentional efforts to prove they are "the worst twins ever" as well as Scott's (Mechlowicz) best friend, Cooper (Pitts) somehow managing to hold onto his internship at a law firm despite being thousands of miles away.

The best gag, however, has to be Scott constantly being reminded of his ex-girlfriend's (Kristin Kreuk) cheating through a very popular song written about it. There is something really funny about "Scotty Doesn't Know" playing on radios (in different languages) in even the most remote parts of Europe. Plus, the lyrics stick in your head.

Even the whole "teenagers having sex" thing works really well in this movie, mostly because it results in some pretty entertaining scenes, complete with unexpected twists. Granted, if the movie were solely about that, I probably wouldn't enjoy it as much. But, when mixed in with all the other gags, it makes a well-rounded comedy.

As I mentioned before, I'm normally not a huge fan of this genre. But, this movie is definitely one of the exceptions to it. If you haven't seen it and aren't easily offended, it's worth taking the time to watch it.

My Grade: A