Music, New Orleans, girlfriends, zip-lining, absinthe….. and grapefruit? If that sentence made perfect sense to you, then congratulations—–you’ve also recently seen the new summer comedy, Girls Trip. I attended a showing with a girlfriend last Friday and yes, we both considered it a fabulous flick.
At our AMC location, the theater was packed with dozens of women in the 30-plus set, but I believe that women at any stage of life could relate to one or all four characters in the movie. Regina Hall is “Ryan,” a career-driven power-player who seems to have it all, but is faced with a marital crisis that tests her credibility and her brand. Tiffany Haddish is “Dina,” the buck-wild “ra-ra mama” quick to ‘turn up,’ pop bottles and lay hands, in love or war. “Lisa,” played by Jada Pinkett Smith, is an uptight divorcee, single parent and ‘den mother’ of the quartet who’s forgotten how to have fun. Finally, there’s “Sasha,” the serious journalist-turned gossip blogger portrayed by Queen Latifah. The friendship is tested between all the ladies when her integrity is put in question by a salacious piece of gossip.
Girls Trip could have been formulaic in approach and still likely racked up the dollars, but what’s made the film such a smash success is the character development, the raucous humor (no spoilers here, but the assorted shenanigans are not for the timid) and the true-to-life scenarios and life situations therein. We’ve all got a girlfriend who’s quick to go off (Dina), a go-getter we all aspire to be like (Ryan), a well-meaning mama who all but cuts up our food for us (Lisa) or a peer who rubs elbows with ‘the A List’ (Sasha). But even the best facades develop cracks after awhile, and the one thing that can keep any of us from reeling off into the deep end is the perspective of those who love us the hardest and know us the best…..our ‘girls’ (or ‘boys’).
As all of us laughed, exchanged knowing glances—or in some cases, recoiled at the depravity—I’m sure that the on-screen ‘Flossy Posse’ conjured up memories of girlfriends we haven’t seen in ages, grew apart from or had to dropped like a bad habit. Sometimes, our paths stop running parallel and along the way, we must reevaluate if her pros are worth the cons. Clicking with somebody can be easy, but as life happens, maintaining those connections become difficult. If a meetup in New Orleans can be managed, great, but even an occasional lunch, phone chat or marathon texting sessions beats no effort at all.
Besides seeing an ensemble of my favorite actresses and learning about new drink combinations, what lessons did I walk away with from Girls Trip? The main one is that I consider myself lucky to have a ‘posse’: some are here in ‘The Big D’ and others live in different time zones, but all of them check in with me regularly, share life’s challenges and yes, even celebrate my eclectic tastes, warped sense of humor and the sensitive, often silly woman I am inside. Most of us are mothers, all of us take our careers seriously, and yes, it would be great to have a ‘girls trip’ of our own someday…..with a lot less scandals and ‘sauce,’ I hope.
In one of the movie’s final scenes, one of the characters acknowledges that her girlfriends helped her to connect with her inner strength, reminding her of a time “when I wasn’t afraid of anything.” Any acquaintance can offer fashion tips or hang for ‘Happy Hour,’ but someone who will reference a long memory and their affection for you to keep you in-check as your best self? That achievement, like the film Girls Trip, is certainly one worth celebrating.
