Eurotrip is Awesome

10 years since this road trip movie has been out. So what’s the fuss?

Recently Actor and Director Kevin Smith of Jay & Silent Bob / Mallrats / Jersey Girl fame tweeted, instagrammed and facebooked a picture of the cast and crew of the 2004 road-trip comedy EuroTrip 10 year anniversary Q&A screening at ArcLight Cinema in Southern California, USA.

Which is awesome, since it’s in my Top 10 favourite films, ever!

This also was followed by some quick replies from followers, who have shown that they’re fans of the film, starring Scott Mechlowicz, Jacob Pitts, Travis Wester and Michelle Trachtenberg:

But along with the positives, there were the negatives, easy come easy go:

… and fair enough too. The internet is a voice for people, even if most of the time it’s represented by keyboard warriors or people who like to give an honest opinion. But it did make me think – EuroTrip was definitely not a box-office smash. In fact, it was a few million short of its $25 million budget and it didn’t exactly take the world by storm or make household names of the main cast (except Trachtenberg, due to her Harriet The Spy  and Buffy connections). So why the Q&A?

Answer: Why the fuck not?!

First, the short description of the film:

Scott graduates, gets dumped by hot girlfriend, consoles with best mate Cooper who then discovers that Scott has a German pen-pal ‘Mieke’ (pronounced Mike), writes e-mail explaining recent dumpage, goes to grad party with best mate Cooper & catches up with twins Jenny and Jamie, gets drunk, reads ‘Mike’s’ e-mail response drunk about meeting up, misinterprets that ‘Mike’ is referring to a gay relationship, sends abusive e-mail, passes out, younger brother sees e-mail and confronts Scott that ‘Mike’ is actually “Mieke” (said Mi-Ka) and is actually a hot blonde girl, writes apology e-mail but is blocked, Cooper convinces Scotty to go on unpredictable Euro trip to find Mieke and get laid. Schenanigans follow.

The movie is a definite cult status, with well known quotes like:

• *beep beep!*Mail mother-fucker!
• You guys are the worst twins, EVER!
• This isn’t where I parked my car!
• Mi Scusi!
• Oh, here’s a fun fact…

and so forth… but let’s break it down on how awesome this film really is.

SPOILER ALERT!! SPOILER ALERT!! SPOILER ALERT!! SPOILER ALERT!!

Cameos

Whether it was a small, large, deleted or uncredited, some big name stars of the day featured in it.

Smallville‘s Kristin Kreuk playing Scotty’s Ex Fiona, Matt Damon’s Matt DAMON! as the lead singer for a rock band that Fiona leaves Scotty for, Arrested Development’s Jeffrey Tambor as Scotty’a Dad, SNL / Portlandia’s Fred Armisen as the euro-pervert on the train, Snatch’s Vinnie Jones as a soccer hooligan, Xena’s Lucy Lawless as a madame, Drew Carey Show’s Diedrich Bader as a mugger, Austin Powers’ Mindy Sterling as a church-goer, Ab Fab’s Joanna Lumley as the hostel manager (deleted scene). There’s also David Hasselhoff, but he only appears in a dream bubble.. so let’s ignore that.

Scotty Doesn’t Know

The on-going running joke that explains why Fiona has dumped Scotty at graduation was that he was ‘predictable’.. well, we discover in this song that Fiona is a nymphomaniac and had been screwing band members behind Scotty’s back for ages. Rock band Lustra wrote and performed this song just for this film. This is where Matt Damon comes in, playing the lead singer.

 You are the worst twins, ever!

The running joke of  Jamie and Jenny, who are meant to be twins, don’t even connect properly, yet alone look a like. Everything they do are polar opposites to each other. Jenny wants to party and be seduced by a European while Jamie has studied his Frommer’ss Tour Guide book and has a knack for cameras and nerdy sight-seeing. Then there’s the drunken incident in Bratislava that shall not be spoken about unless it’s a ‘Frommer’s fun fact’.

Mi Scusi!

Before Portlandia, Fred Armisen was known for his regular cast-member work on Saturday Night Live. In this film, he plays a pervy French train traveller who just does not understand the limit of personal space. He likes to cop a feel during long dark tunnel rides. His catch phrase “Scusi!” is just his way of playing dumb.

This chick

This chick is Mike… I mean, Mieke. I mean German actress Jessica Boehrs.

Sure, she shows her norgs, but what you probably didn’t know is this:

So if you’re a raver, now you know the vocal talents in this dance track from 2002.

Now, there’s HEAPS more with showing you, such as the soccer hooligans, Club Vandersexx, Bratislava experience, French Robot, Nudie beach, the Vatican, but I’ve given enough away already.

Unlike this video. You can also purchase EuroTrip on DVD and iTunes.

This is definitely where I parked my car!

PS: if you made it this far, the film was Executive Produced by Ivan Reitman. That has to sell it to you. He’s fahn-tahstic. A Geeenioouss.