Have A Good Trip review – the good & the bad
Today, during lockdown, I decided to write a Have A Good Trip review after watching the movie around LSD on Netflix on the day it premiered.
When the trailer came out, I was instantly excited.
Hearing stories of tripping from some of the most influential entertainers and artists?
Fuck yeah!
I couldn’t wait to see whether their stories matched up to my own experiences, as is often the case among trippers.
The documentary starts with old PSA clips talking about the dangers of LSD, specifically the ‘instant insanity’ bit that’s been drummed into us since forever, before cutting to a lab-coat clad Nick Offerman, our host during this lesson in psychedelics.
“Don’t get me wrong, drugs can be dangerous, but they can also be hilarious,” he says with his classic Swanson-like grin.
The film is layered by segments from Nick Offerman’s laboratory, the opinion of a psychiatrist and guru (Deepak Chopra), a story from an entertainer, mini segments of entertainers agreeing with the main point of said story, and a spoof of an After School Special (hosted by Adam Scott).
Each story is portrayed either by animation or a re-enactment, with the first half of the movie focusing on good trips, which range from spiritual enlightenment to ridiculous adventures, connection, realisations, visualisations and more.
I thought long and hard about this Have A Good Trip review – the good and the bad…
Have A Bad Trip?
The second half of the documentary focuses on uncomfortable trips, with a specifically morbid, though relatable account by Ben Stiller, who went down the rabbit hole of paranoia and anxiety to the point of calling his father for comfort.
The documentary covers all the angles of tripping, including the dos and don’ts like making sure you’re in the right headspace, in the right environment, with the right people.
Did it live up to my expectations?
Not really!
But then again, I don’t know what I was expecting.
Would I have loved to hear a trip tale from Nick Offerman?
Heck yes!
Could the After School Special have been cut shorter?
Yes.
Should you watch it?
If you’ve ever tripped, it will definitely bring about of nostalgia and happy reminiscence to your lockdown life.
Favourite stories: Sting, A$AP Rocky, Anthony Bordain, Nick Kroll.
Judge it for yourself and let me know if you agree with my Have A Good Trip review.
Available to stream on Netflix.
Personally, it made me grateful for my own experiences with psychedelics- what I learnt and felt and how it made me grow as a person. It was a happy dose of lockdown medicine.
[youtube_sc url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmQygtqDLHs”]
