From the start, the premise didn't grab me. Some guy getting nagged by his mom from New York to San Francisco, why would I want to climb into that car? There are two answers to that question: Seth Rogen and Barbara Streisand. Rogen's every-man demeanor and edgy spontaneous humor gets my funny bone vibrating every time (well, almost). And Streisand is an American classic, a fine actress and powerful singer. I was up to see a film sporting her in a lead role. Plus, the pairing of these two actors (from different cinematic eras) nabbed my curiosity. And to tell the truth, they didn't let me down, nor did the direction. But despite the previous excellence of writer Dan Fogelman, it's the script that falls short.

It's not a terrible film, but "bland" best describes it. Rogen fans won't be satisfied with the light sprinklings of humor. Streisand fans won't be knocked out by the faint emotional momentum. And she doesn't sing, not even during the credits. I'm left wondering for whom this film was made. Mildly funny, with a few touching moments. This combined with a sweet, but clunky, concluding twist (happily, I didn't see it coming), just isn't payoff enough for all the needling. "Guilt Trip" feels like a below-average Neil Simon script, perhaps best enjoyed by a single mom and her grown son.

-- Books by Author/Illustrator Ross Anthony --