The Guilt Trip - C

Rated PG-13, 95 minutes

Rogen, Striesand in the sweet but formulaic "Guilt Trip"

Seth Rogen and Barbra Streisand

Many movies such as "Field of Dreams" have explored the relationship between father and son. The charming but unoriginal new comedy "The Guilt Trip" explores the relationship between mother and son. Stars Seth Rogen and Barbara Striesand have solid chemistry, but the story from Dan Fogelman ("Cars," "Tangled") is cookie-cutter formulaic. The story is about an inventor (Rogen) who invites his mother (Streisand) on a cross-country trip as he tries to sell his new product while also reuniting her with a lost love. The forgettable yet engaging "The Guilt Trip" is often entertaining and fun, and it should leave you with a smile, if not anything else. The stars are going through the paces, though at age 70, Striesand still can command the screen as well as she always has, even if the role of an annoying, kindhearted Jewish mama is as foolproof as they come. The set up is also too easy and predictable, making this part buddy-buddy road comedy and part family vacation movie; a handful of mildly funny gags and throwaway lines doesn't add up to much. "The Guilt Trip" could've benefited from a stronger director (Anne Fletcher, of "Step Up" directs) and a script that is so lazy you can see where it's going far before these characters reach their destination. You may want to check out the mediocre, mosdestly entertaining "The Guilt Trip" to see Striesand and a less-annoying but still smart-alecky Rogen go through their paces, but otherwise this is one to skip.

Wes's Grade: C