Boat Trip (2002)

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Pretty Good

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Boat Trip (2002): Dir: Mort Nathan / Cast: Cuba Gooding Jr., Horatio Sanz, Roger Moore, Vivica A. Fox, Lin Shaye: Amusing idea that expresses isolation both at sea and two straight males surrounded by a particular sexuality that makes them uncomfortable. Cuba Gooding Jr. and Horatio Sanz are tricked into boarding an all gay cruise. Gooding is depressed after his girlfriend breaks up with him upon his proposal. Sanz views the cruise as an escape. Simple setup concludes as a farce but director Mort Nathan never exploits raunchy sex themes, which might have reduced the film to clichés and stereotypes. Its strongest element is its two fish out of water leads who are in fine comic form. Gooding falls for a dance instructor while Sanz attempts to seduce every female on board. Roger Moore as a gay pilot is a steal but perhaps if the role was broader than it would propel above standard comic level. Vivica A. Fox is unfortunately cardboard and only seen as a potential hookup for Gooding. Lin Shaye plays the coach instructing the girls and growls at the male leads any time they get too near to these girls. It plays like a gay version of Out to Sea with a theme that suggests that homosexuals can be identified as most anybody. Some moments of humour misfire or will be viewed as tasteless but this amusing film somehow touches just outside our comfort zone. Score: 6 / 10

After dancing to James Brown's "I Feel Good" in his upscale home, Cuba Gooding Jr. (as Jerry Robinson) takes girlfriend Vivica A. Fox (as Felicia) out in a hot air balloon. During his marriage proposal, Mr. Gooding pukes on Ms. Fox, due to motion sickness (it clears up later). Furious, she refuses to walk down the aisle. Later, Gooding's portly pal Horatio Sanz (as Nick Ragoni) encounters an older friend with a new, busty blonde mate. The happy couple's meeting took place on a cruise, so Mr. Sanz persuades Gooding to join him on a cruise. The men offend gay travel agents and are vengefully booked on a cruise for homosexual men only...Gooding and Sanz are so excited about meeting women, they don't notice the parade of gay men getting ready for action. Aboard ship, Gooding falls for beautiful dance instructor Roselyn Sanchez (as Gabriella) and decides he and Sanz should pose as a gay couple so he can court her. Sanz is turned on by Swedish bikini model Victoria Silvstedt (as Inga), but questions his sexuality after a drunken evening with his gay card-playing buddies. Former secret agent Roger Moore plays a relatively inoffensive man who desires Sanz. We never see Mr. Moore in bed with anyone, or care about who Gooding hooks up with. "Boat Trip" sinks in its own stupidity.** Boat Trip (10/4/02) Mort Nathan ~ Cuba Gooding Jr., Horatio Sanz, Roselyn Sanchez, Vivica A. Fox

It sounded like a follow on from Road Trip, then I saw the poster of the girl on the large banana, and then I saw who was in it, and I decided to see why the critics don't like it. Basically Jerry Robinson (Razzie nominated Cuba Gooding Jr.) has spent months feeling depressed after breaking up with the woman he wanted to marry, Felicia (Vivica A. Fox). To get away from all their troubles, he and his best buddy Nick Ragoni (Road Trip's Horatio Sanz) book a trip on a cruise liner, if only they hadn't upset the booking agent Brian (Artie Lange) and his boyfriend Michael (Will Ferrell). They have been put on a gay cruise for gay men to meet and mingle for four days and no way to escape, being chatted up, eyed and fondled by the hundreds of homosexuals, including Lloyd Faversham (Sir Roger Moore). Thankfully, Jerry manages to find the only woman on the cruise, dance teacher Gabriella (Rush Hour 2's Roselyn Sanchez), and when Nick shoots down a helicopter, a dozen bikini babes end up boarding, including gorgeous Inga (Victoria Silvstedt) and sex-crazed coach Sonya (Lin Shaye). While Nick is trying to get along with the gays, and have his way with Inga, unintentionally getting with Sonya, Jerry is continuing the pretence of being gay to stay close to Gabriella, who feels guilty turning him. It is when Felicia comes looking to take him back that Jerry is exposed as being straight to Gabriella, thankfully they get the happy ending they want when Jerry and Nick run out of the wedding. Also starring Bob Gunton as Boat Captain, Richard Roundtree as Felicia's Dad and Maurice Godin as Hector. Why Moore agreed to be in this is anyone's guess. It is one of the stupidest comedies I know, with all the worst stereotypes, gross-out and completely awful jokes, and an ultimately abysmal story to go with it, one to miss! It was nominated the Razzie for Worst Director for Mort Nathan. Poor!

Film24 broadcast this film last night and the synopsis gave the impression that it was going to be a "Birdcage" afloat. I have never felt so moved as to write a review and was heartened to see that most other reviewers thought this was an appalling film.I switched off just before the part where the sidekick mistakenly hops into bed with the trainer, thank goodness by all accounts as another reviewer describes the remainder of the scene and it was even worse that I suspected it would be. With hindsight, I cannot believe I watched for 45 minutes.OK, so I'm neither teenage of male so perhaps I shouldn't have been watching this in the first place but really there is absolutely nothing to redeem this film in any way that could not be otherwise fulfilled by the sort of film that doesn't have a script at all.I really must remember to read IMDb BEFORE I watch films in the future.