Few things are funnier to a person than their own drug stories — or as unfunny to pretty much anyone else. This is the central conundrum of “Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics” (now streaming on Netflix), a giggly compendium — “documentary” seems generous — of actors, musicians, comedians and writers telling their best drug stories. Some are accompanied by cheerful animations, others by strained re-enactments; all are soaked in good vibes. One of the first subjects, Sting, begins his interview by announcing, “I wouldn’t want this to be an exercise in the Just Say No campaign.” There is, to put it mildly, no danger of that.
Between those centerpiece yarns — most of which are of the “I guess you had to be there” variety — the director Donick Cary combines interview snippets on recurring themes, provides winking “tips” in the form of “The More You Trip” PSAs, and spoofs overwrought antidrug After-School Specials, which should give you some idea of the freshness of the satirical targets. (There are also several jokes about the old fried-egg “This is your brain on drugs” spots.)
One’s ultimate enjoyment is presumably dependent on their affection for the subjects, though even some usually reliable entertainers come up dry. It’s a pleasure to get one more dose of Carrie Fisher, but her story doesn’t really land (and her participation, along with Anthony Bourdain’s, prompts some questions about how long this thing has been kicking around). Ben Stiller’s acid trip story is one of the few genuine highlights, perhaps because it forgoes the tired tales of wacky hallucinations and trippy misadventures, instead focusing on his unshakable paranoia and clumsy inability to deal.
With no real thesis or through-line, the movie winds up being little more than a series of revue-style blackout sketches, lengthy digressions and dead ends. Nick Offerman serves as something of a host, clad in a lab coat and surrounded by retro science gear, explaining, “Don’t get me wrong, drugs can be dangerous. But they can also be hilarious.” To be fair, he’s right. But you wouldn’t know that from “Have a Good Trip.”
Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics
Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 25 minutes. Watch on Netflix.
Source: Movies - nytimes.com
