At the 2021 Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, I enjoyed a hilarious, yet tremendously violent, action-comedy-thriller from Norway titled The Trip. In the U.S., this movie didn’t get a theatrical release, but it was picked up by Netflix, so it probably didn’t get the attention it deserved, and unfortunately, it became a faded memory for me. At SXSW this year, the title, the actors, and the plot of Over Your Dead Body definitely got my attention, but it failed to stir up any remembrance of The Trip. However, as I watched the movie unfold on the big screen at the Paramount Theater, I realized I had seen this story before.
To clarify, Jorma Taccone’s Over Your Dead Body is an adaptation of Tommy Wirkola’s The Trip. Nevertheless, this version of the story still held my attention with its firm grip. I was both amused and amazed by how faithful this adaptation was to the original film. Over Your Dead Body is one of those rare English-language remakes of a foreign film that actually maintains the same level of intensity, entertainment, and overall greatness as its source material. After recently revisiting The Trip on Netflix and noting the differences, I can honestly say that, to my surprise, I like Over Your Dead Body a little bit better than the original.
For those who haven’t already watched the original movie, the story focuses on a married couple who decide to take a trip to a cabin in the woods to get away from it all. While there, they discover that they both have plans to kill each other. Jason Segel stars as Dan, a professional filmmaker who has struggled to maintain a viable career and has to settle for whatever shallow entertainment work is offered to him. Samara Weaving stars as Lisa, an actress who has also struggled to find regular work in the industry. Both have reached a point in their lives where they are tremendously unhappy with their careers, lives, and their marriage, where there is no trace of romance and passion.
Based on I onde dager (The Trip) by writer/director Tommy Wirkola and co-writers John Niven and Nick Ball, screenwriters Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney adapt the screenplay, and Lonely Island’s Jorma Taccone directs Over Your Dead Body. It is just about as violent, surprising, and perhaps even funnier than the source movie. Taccone and his writers obviously have loads of love for the original film, and any changes they make only enhance it and make it more entertaining. The story is full of twists, turns, and moments that the audience will not see coming (unless you have seen the original). Still, if you have seen the original, this is still a fun, slightly different revisit guaranteed to thrill, shock, and deliver gut-busting laughter.
I love the cast Taccone assembled for this film. Segel is perfect as the sensitive, depressed, and somewhat cowardly Dan, destined to fail in his murder plans, while the more confident and assured Lisa has a better chance at success. Samara Weaving is fantastic as the sometimes cold, calculating, but also sad Lisa. The film also features hilarious performances by Paul Guilfoyle, Keith Jardine, Timothy Olyphant, and Juliette Lewis.
The SXSW premiere audience had a blast with this wild ride, and now anyone can see it in theaters. Over Your Dead Body is one of my favorites from this year’s SXSW; I highly recommend it to cinephiles who crave wild violence and raucous comedy. Don’t miss the chance to experience this unforgettable film on the big screen—it’s a wild ride you’ll be talking about long after the credits roll.