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The Guilt Trip

As inventor Andy Brewster is about to embark on the road trip of a lifetime, a quick stop at his mom's house turns into an unexpected cross-country voyage with her along for the ride. As inventor Andy Brewster is about to embark on the road trip of a lifetime, a quick stop at his mom's house turns into an unexpected cross-country voyage with her along for the ride. As inventor Andy Brewster is about to embark on the road trip of a lifetime, a quick stop at his mom's house turns into an unexpected cross-country voyage with her along for the ride.

• Anne Fletcher
• Dan Fogelman
• Jason Conzelman
• Barbra Streisand
• Julene Renee
• 131 User reviews
• 147 Critic reviews
• 50 Metascore
• 1 nomination

• Joyce Brewster

• Andrew Brewster

• K-Mart Receptionist
• (as Julene Renee-Preciado)

• K-Mart Executive

• Mature Singles Man
• Mature Singles Woman

• Young Joyce
• Toddler Andy
• Budget Car Renter

• Middlesex Voice Over
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• Trivia The Paramount Pictures marketing department were so certain that Barbra Streisand would gain a Golden Globe nomination for her performance, that not only did they put out an ad congratulating her victory, but posted it online moments before the nominations were announced, only to be swiftly pulled when Streisand ended up without the nod.
• Goofs On the way to see her old boy friend, Joyce uses Ben's name, not Andy's, when she is talking about not having seen him in thirty years.

Joyce Brewster : I wasn't meant to be with Andy Margolis. You see? I was meant to meet him, but I was meant to marry your father. Because if I hadn't, I wouldn't have had you. Don't you see, Andy? It was always you. You're the love of my life, baby. It will always be you.

• Crazy credits During the credits, more is shown of Andy and his mother dealing with each other during the long drive, that is, several of Rogen and Streisand's comic improvisations. The 'mini-screen' moves a few times to make room for the credits.
• Connections Featured in Maltin on Movies: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
• Soundtracks Howlin' For You Written by Dan Auerbach and Patrick J. Carney (as Patrick Carney) Performed by The Black Keys Courtesy of Nonesuch Records By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing

User reviews 131

• JohnDeSando
• Dec 27, 2012
• How long is The Guilt Trip? Powered by Alexa
• December 19, 2012 (United States)
• United States
• Official site
• My Mother's Curse
• Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA
• Paramount Pictures
• Skydance Media
• Michaels Goldwyn
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $40,000,000 (estimated)
• $37,134,215
• Dec 23, 2012
• $41,863,726

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 35 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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On the Road, With Their Baggage

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By Stephen Holden

• Dec. 18, 2012

Contrary to what the title and casting might suggest, the Barbra Streisand-Seth Rogen comedy, “The Guilt Trip,” is not “The Shrew and the Cringing Meatball.” There are no screaming accusations, no threats or recriminations, no tearful apologies in this amiable mother-son road odyssey.

The guilt that Ms. Streisand’s character, Joyce Brewster, lays on her grown son, Andy (Mr. Rogen), a struggling inventor, is larded with enough sweetness and awareness of appropriate boundaries that its humor caresses rather than stings. Joyce’s complaints mostly have to do with Andy’s decision to live 3,000 miles away from her in Los Angeles. When his mother becomes overbearing, Andy, sucking in his lower lip, politely silences her. Joyce, even at her most psychologically invasive, never whines or raises her voice.

Directed by Anne Fletcher (“The Proposal,” “27 Dresses”) from a pallid screenplay by Dan Fogelman (“Crazy, Stupid, Love”), “The Guilt Trip” is so comfy cozy that mothers and their grown children can watch it together without squirming. Even Joyce’s recollection of the time Andy’s penis turned purple is a zany throwaway remark delivered without a trace of Freudian insinuation.

What could have been a cutting satirical farce about domineering mothers and emasculated sons is a mildly funny, feel-good love story in which Mom’s sensible advice helps turn around her nerdy son’s foundering career. Although the main characters are softened Jewish stereotypes, there is no mention of religion.

Andy, who studied organic chemistry at U.C.L.A., is traveling around the country pitching an organic cleaning product he invented that consists of coconut and palm-kernel oils, and soy. You can even drink it. But his presentations are so stiff and jargony that potential backers nod off while he is talking.

When Andy makes a rare visit to see Joyce in New Jersey, he and his mother begin reminiscing. Joyce remembers her first boyfriend before she married Andy’s father, who died when Andy was 8. She has since had no love life.

Andy, sleuthing on the Internet, discovers an unmarried corporate executive living in San Francisco who has the same name as that boyfriend. He invites his mother to join him on his eight-day cross-country return trip without telling her of his plan to look up her first love at the end of the journey. Joyce, not knowing his agenda, jumps at the opportunity to be with her only child for several days.

One bland running joke is Joyce’s obsessive thrift. She insists that they rent a subcompact car instead of an S.U.V., a decision he regrets when they find themselves sandwiched between trucks in an Arkansas blizzard. Joyce also insists that they share the same room in motels and disturbs him with her habit of crunching handfuls of M&Ms while in bed. Since Ms. Streisand , now 70, looks 20 years younger, it is not implausible when one leering motel clerk mistakes them for lovers. But the movie makes little of the confusion.

Joyce is frisky and game for adventure, and in a Lubbock, Tex., steakhouse she agrees to play beat the clock while consuming a 50-ounce steak. This challenge, which could have been milked for farce, is another missed comic opportunity in a movie so timid it seems afraid of its own shadow. The chief pleasures of this mild-mannered dud lie in watching two resourceful comic actors go through their paces like the pros they are.

“The Guilt Trip” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). It has mild innuendo and some strong language.

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“Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen are the perfect comedy duo"* as they embark on one mother of a road trip! The plan for a quick stop at Mom’s takes a sudden turn when an impulse compels Andy (Seth Rogen) to invite his mother, Joyce (Barbra Streisand), on an 8-day, 3,000 mile, journey across the country. But the farther they go, the closer they get and Andy may realize that they have more in common than he ever imagined.   *Jake Hamilton, FOX-TV

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Film / The Guilt Trip

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The Guilt Trip is a 2012 American road comedy film directed by Anne Fletcher, starring Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen , who both also served as executive producers on the film.

Andy Brewster (Rogen), a UCLA-graduate organic chemist and inventor, visits his mother Joyce (Streisand) in New Jersey before leaving on a cross-country trip to Las Vegas. After his mother reveals that he was named after a boy she fell in love with in Florida named Andrew Margolis, and after a little research he discovers that there's an Andrew Margolis living in San Francisco, he invites his unknowing mother on the trip, claiming he wants to spend some time with her. The road trip quickly becomes hard for Andy as his mother continues to intervene in his life, but over time, Andy and Joyce begin to genuinely enjoy each other's company.

This film features examples of:

• All for Nothing : At least in regards of the search for Andrew Margolis, it turns out that the Andrew Margolis Andy's mother was talking about died five years before, and the "Andrew Margolis" Andy had found was actually his son, Andrew Margolis Jr.
• Bittersweet Ending : On one hand, Andrew Margolis was dead all along, so Joyce will not be able to clear the air with him. On the other hand, Joyce is assured that he thought about her in some way after being told he named his daughter Joyce; Andy is able to successfully pitch his product with Joyce's help; and Joyce and Andy's relationship grows much closer than they had been; plus Joyce arranges a date with Ben McGraw, the man she met during the trip.
• Dead All Along : It turns out that Andrew Margolis, Joyce's old flame, died five years ago, the "Andrew Margolis" Andy found living in San Francisco actually being his son, Andrew Margolis Jr.
• Road Trip Plot : The films is about a man and his mother having to go through a cross-country road trip. Hilarity Ensues .
• Signs of Disrepair : Andy and Joyce are forced to make a stop after bad weather makes the roads bad to see. They come upon "Capital City TOPLESS Restaurant" but the "LE" is burned out and the sign reads "TOP__SS" which Joyce mistakes for "tacos".
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The guilt trip.

Directed by Anne Fletcher

Get ready for one mother of a road trip.

An inventor and his mom hit the road together so he can sell his latest invention.

Seth Rogen Barbra Streisand Yvonne Strahovski Colin Hanks Brett Cullen Adam Scott Ari Graynor Kathy Najimy Danny Pudi Casey Wilson Dale Dickey Michael Cassidy Brandon Keener Robert Curtis Brown Nora Dunn Miriam Margolyes Rose Abdoo Analeis Lorig Gabrielle Gumbs Rick Gonzalez Worth Howe Vicki Goldsmith Constance Esposito Creed Bratton Jeff Kober Tom Virtue

Director Director

Anne Fletcher

Producers Producers

Evan Goldberg John Goldwyn Lorne Michaels Erin Doyle James Weaver Hilary Marx Gretel Twombly

Writer Writer

Dan Fogelman

Casting Casting

Cathy Sandrich Gelfond Amanda Mackey

Editors Editors

Priscilla Nedd-Friendly Dana E. Glauberman

Cinematography Cinematography

Oliver Stapleton

Additional Directing Add. Directing

Darrin Prescott

Executive Producers Exec. Producers

Dan Fogelman Evan Goldberg Mary McLaglen Seth Rogen Barbra Streisand

Lighting Lighting

Production design production design.

Nelson Coates

Art Direction Art Direction

David Lazan

Set Decoration Set Decoration

Karen O'Hara

Special Effects Special Effects

Mark R. Byers

Visual Effects Visual Effects

Eric Mancha

Stunts Stunts

Debbie Evans Joanne Lamstein Chris Palermo Allan Padelford

Composer Composer

Christophe Beck

Sound Sound

Peter J. Devlin Scott Millan Greg P. Russell Karen Baker Landers Christopher Assells Dino DiMuro Chris Jargo Dan Hegeman Peter Staubli Karen Vassar Triest Scott Curtis Darrin Mann

Costume Design Costume Design

Danny Glicker

Makeup Makeup

Lisa Layman Amy Schmiederer Beth O'Rourke Julie Hewett

Hairstyling Hairstyling

Terry Baliel Katrina Chevalier Mary Ann Valdes

Paramount Skydance Media Michaels-Goldwyn

Releases by Date

19 dec 2012, 07 jan 2013, 24 jan 2013, 20 feb 2013, 22 feb 2013, 28 feb 2013, 01 mar 2013, 07 mar 2013, 05 apr 2013, 10 apr 2013, 11 apr 2013, 12 apr 2013, 13 apr 2013, 18 apr 2013, releases by country.

• Theatrical M
• Theatrical 15+
• Theatrical 0
• Theatrical 16
• Theatrical 12

Netherlands

• Theatrical 6
• Theatrical 11
• Theatrical PG-13

95 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by aksel 5

This is a cute comforting movie and the reviews on this remind me most of the people on this website hate movies at this point but refuse to stop watching them because it’s their only personality trait. 

it’s not the best movie ever but ITS A LITTLE CUTE!!!

Review by lain ★★★★

WHY IS THE RATING SO LOW ON THIS???? THIS IS SO PURE???? I DONT TRUST ANY OF YALL ANYMORE

Review by Dylan ★★★

Guilt Trip is entertaining enough to keep you interested, but not engaging enough to keep your attention from wandering. It is a ferociously funny comedy that takes a lot of risks and connects just enough, and it's a step above the normal comedies thanks to its innovative idea and quartet of charming comedic star turns. The entire ensemble does an outstanding job with their roles, and they all carry the film with such a strong feeling of charisma and flattery. While the plot may be a little too conventional and the story may not be particularly memorable, it is nonetheless a family-friendly comedy with some belly laughs and a loving message that takes unexpected turns. In many ways, it exceeded my expectations, and I must say, I enjoyed it!

Review by Ben Peterson ★★★½

Road trip movies have to have an ending that makes the whole thing worth it and this one really, really does. A legit teary moment from a genuinely invested Rogen and Streisand, who are both great, caps this wholesome and funny movie off perfectly. I think this movie is just a splendid little yarn.

Review by indi ★★

fuckgin appalling but i really related to barbra streisand renouncing men bc they probably wouldn't let her keep eating m&m's in bed right before she went to sleep

Review by daril 🪷 ★★★

I am guilty of finding this film cute! I do not trust anyone who gave this a low rating

Review by Cristiano Bertoni ★★½

Pretty mediocre comedy, still fun in some points tho.

Review by 🎞️📼Spencer💿📺 ★★

Warning DO NOT  watch with a parent!

I can't comment much about this because every five minutes, my mother is asking me. Do I do that? Or When have I done that? 

My mom is a lovely lady but im glad there are no road trips for us.

Review by Mario 🟠🟢🔵 ★★½

It was alright, but I probably should have watched Pineapple Express instead.

Review by 🌻 lindsay 🌻 ★★★★ 1

whole movie I was appalled he would talk to his mother like that leave her alone

Review by riki ★★★½

oh Barbara i love u be my second mother

Review by ᴬⁿᵗʰᵒⁿʸ ⛧ ★★

Probably the shortest I’ve ever seen Babs’ nails. 🗺 

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The guilt trip: film review.

Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen star in a mother-son road-trip comedy from director Anne Fletcher ("The Proposal").

By Todd McCarthy

Todd McCarthy

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The Guilt Trip Streisand Cheering - H 2012

Yentl goes yenta in The Guilt Trip , a creakily old-fashioned comedy that forgot to pack the laughs along with the nudging and kvetching. Possibly the first American film in decades in which characters drive cross-country courtesy of process shots out the back window, this mother-son yakfest blows a gasket and all four tires before it even hits the road. With Seth Rogen in very subdued mode, his fans will smell this one a mile away; it might be a movie only their mothers — or die-hard Barbra Streisand fans — could love.

When was the last time an overbearing Jewish mother giving her schlemiel of a son a hard time about not being married was a major component of a big Hollywood film? This sort of routine used to pop up all the time in American comedy but pretty much has vanished in the rearview mirror since the heyday of Ruth Gordon . So to behold Streisand’s New York mom Joyce Brewster hectoring her homely visiting son Andrew (Rogen) about his myriad personal shortcomings is to revisit a musty mind-set that the minor updates in Dan Fogelman ‘s woeful script can’t begin to freshen up.

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VIDEO: ‘The Guilt Trip’ Trailer: Barbra Streisand Drives Seth Rogen Crazy

The early scenes of Andrew’s return from California to his childhood home are so embarrassing that you wonder if such impressive consistency can possibly be sustained. Andrew knows what he’s in for, but that still doesn’t help when Mom immediately starts in asking what happened to former girlfriends X, Y and Z, complaining that he went to UCLA just to get as far away from her as possible, pointing out that she hasn’t had a date since her husband’s long-ago death and then recommending that Andrew get therapy. Enough, already.

In an effort to connect with Andrew, Joyce unloads what she considers a bombshell of a secret: She actually had a boyfriend before she met her husband and loved him so much she named her only son after him. Considering it odd she never tried to look him up after his dad died, Andrew does research that reveals he’s an executive in San Francisco. With an ulterior motive in mind, he invites Mom to join him on a drive across the country, during which he’ll make stops in Virginia, Texas, Santa Fe and Las Vegas to hawk a nontoxic cleansing liquid product he has created to potential retailers.

These pitch sessions are desultory affairs — a salesman Andrew is not — and Joyce doesn’t help matters by hovering and carrying on in ways that scarcely help her son’s cause. To save a few bucks, she insists they rent a compact rather than an SUV, forcing them to share very close quarters as they listen to Jeffrey Eugenides ’ gender-bending Middlesex on CD. The way Joyce gets excited about gift shops and free continental breakfasts at motels (where she insists they stay in one room to save more money), you’d think she’d never been out of New York before.

In terms of viewer relief from the constant haranguing, getting on the road held out the hope of changing scenery and a possible parade of lively supporting roles. Instead, we get process shots of the two leads crammed into the tiny car intercut with second unit coverage of highways and the countryside. They do get out of the car to look at the Grand Canyon, but after about five seconds, they decide they’ve seen enough and move on to Vegas, which Joyce actually likes.

The one stop that at least yields something different is at a Texas steakhouse, where anyone who can eat a 4 1/2-pound steak and all the trimmings in one hour gets it for free. Uncharacteristically, Joyce volunteers, launching a gorge-fest that at least presents the half-amusing spectacle of Streisand pigging out and wins Joyce an admirer in the form of a handsome older gent (the indisputably handsome Brett Cullen ) who’d like to have her come up and see him sometime.

The climactic visit to San Francisco to track down Joyce’s former beau predictably plays on, and aims to stimulate, bittersweet emotions. At the same time, the easy-to-get point of the enterprise is to stress that the mother and son’s prolonged time together has forced them to break through their various barriers, grudges and expectations to arrive at a more honest satisfying relationship. Yep, that’ll do the trick every time.

CONCERT REVIEW: Barbra Streisand in Brooklyn

The Guilt Trip  provides heavy competition with director Anne Fletcher ‘s previous films ( Step Up , 27 Dresses , The Proposal ) as to which is the most formulaic and conventional, but this one takes the cake for being the most visually unimaginative and clunky. Worse, even the most easy-to-please audiences will struggle to find more than a half-dozen laughs here, so bereft is the film of fresh comic ideas.

Rogen — who for some reason sports about a one-day’s grizzle of beard throughout — drastically underplays, probably realizing that, with Streisand emoting so broadly, it was the only way to go. For her part, some combination of cosmetic expertise, cinematic enhancement and natural endowment makes Streisand look more like she’s in her 50s than in her 70s, which is the actuality. Those who’ve always liked the singer-actress probably won’t mind her here; for the nonfan, this is not the film that will change your mind.

A retinue of terrific character actors could have greatly enlivened the proceedings, but Fogelman ( Cars , Bolt , Tangled , Crazy, Stupid, Love ) didn’t write the parts for them.

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The Guilt Trip – review

A merica has rarely seemed as dreary as this cross-country road movie from New Jersey to San Francisco in which unmarried son Andy (Seth Rogen), a businessman in the cleaning industry, and his long-widowed archetypal Jewish mother Joyce (Barbra Streisand) come to terms with each other. Between meetings in which Andy attempts to interest chain stores in his organic cleaning fluid, she tricks him into meeting ex-girlfriends. Meanwhile he intends to reunite her with an old flame in California. It's all kvetch this and kvetch that, with few jokes or amusing encounters, and a side trip to the Grand Canyon which both think overrated and slip away from after two minutes. Rogen's expert timing has little to hone itself on.

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The guilt trip, common sense media reviewers.

Stereotypical mother-son comedy is predictably corny.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

The movie's ultimate message is to honor your

Joyce might be perceived as nagging, but she's

Defending his drunk mom's honor, Andy punches

Andy watches in amusement as a wealthy Texan flirt

One memorable use of "f--k," plus occasi

Since Andy is pitching a cleaning product to vario

Joyce drinks to excess in Texas and then recreatio

Parents need to know that The Guilt Trip is a mother-son comedy that occasionally includes some mature language, humor, and themes. The strong language is occasional but does include one "f--k" and several uses of "s--t," "ass," "damn," and more. There's some…

Positive Messages

The movie's ultimate message is to honor your parents and not take them for granted. The road trip proves that even when your mom drives you crazy, she's still deserving of respect and usually has your best interests at heart.

Positive Role Models

Joyce might be perceived as nagging, but she's a concerned, loving mother who just wants to help her son and spend as much time with him as possible. Andy is bothered by his mother's constant communication and interest in his everyday life, but he comes around once he's calm enough to see his mother's point of view -- and realize that she's actually got a point sometimes.

Violence & Scariness

Defending his drunk mom's honor, Andy punches a cowboy suitor in the face and then gets punched in the eye in response. Joyce warns Andy not to pick up any hitchhikers, because they "rape."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Andy watches in amusement as a wealthy Texan flirts with his mother and asks whether he can take her out on a date back in New York City. Andy and Joyce discuss how she told him about sex and then what his penis looked like when he was a baby. Joyce plays audiobooks in the car that are a little sexually explicit, but Andy shuts them off once they start getting too racy. Andy and Joyce stop by a strip bar, and viewers can see women dancing in the background.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

One memorable use of "f--k," plus occasional use of "holy s--t," "bulls--t," "goddamn," "oh my God," "ass," "idiotic," "stupid," "hell," "whoring," and more. A son speaks harshly to his mother in one scene, saying "just shut up, shut up, shut up." Joyce refers to one of Andy's ex-girlfriends as "Oriental," but he explains that's "not remotely an acceptable term."

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Products & Purchases

Since Andy is pitching a cleaning product to various companies, viewers see the logos and facilities of various stores, including Ace Hardware, Costco, Kmart, and the Home Shopping Network. The road trip is done in a small Chevy Aveo, and they listen to the audiobook of Oprah's Book Club novel Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. Joyce has a nightly routine of eating M&Ms and is obsessed with the Gap. Andy wears a J Crew suit to his meetings.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Joyce drinks to excess in Texas and then recreationally in Las Vegas. Andy drinks in anger after a week of frustration.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Guilt Trip is a mother-son comedy that occasionally includes some mature language, humor, and themes. The strong language is occasional but does include one "f--k" and several uses of "s--t," "ass," "damn," and more. There's some mention of sexuality and dating, as well as a couple of brief instances of Joyce ( Barbra Streisand ) flirting on the road. Because of the nature of Andy's ( Seth Rogen ) job, he visits the headquarters of many real companies, including Ace Hardware, Costco, Home Shopping Network, and Kmart. In one scene, Andy gets into a brief fist fight with a man trying to give his already-drunk mom another drink. Ultimately the movie's message is that mothers and sons may not always get along, but they should love and respect each other unconditionally. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (6)
• Kids say (10)

Based on 6 parent reviews

Adult Parentification

What's the story.

Chemist Andy Brewster ( Seth Rogen ) has dumped his entire life savings into developing an all-natural cleanser he hopes to distribute in big box stores. His plan is to visit his mother, Joyce ( Barbra Streisand ), in New Jersey and then take a road trip to pitch his line of organic products to various companies' headquarters. After a heart-to-heart with his long-widowed mom, Andy discovers that her first love was also named Andy; a quick Google search places the man in San Francisco. Andy invites his mom to accompany him on the road trip so he can surprise her by visiting her long-lost love in California. On the cross-country trip, mother and son have several small but meaningful adventures.

Is It Any Good?

This is the kind of blandly entertaining comedy you might stream or catch if it's on TV while you're folding laundry, but unless you're a die-hard Babs fan, The Guilt Trip is far from a must-see. There are some occasionally amusing sequences in this formulaic comedy -- like the bizarre humor of watching Streisand scarf down a four-pound cut of beef at a Texas steak joint, just so her beloved baby boy doesn't have to pay for her entree. And every now and then Rogen's seemingly improvised asides or genuine discomfort at discussing sex with his mother also hit the mark.

But in general, the predictable nature of the plot -- a co-dependent, stereotypical Jewish mother and her reluctant mama's boy hit the road, and each finds out the other can be right some of the time -- is a lot less compelling than the ticket price would demand.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about movies featuring strong mother-and-child story lines. How is the mom in The Guilt Trip a stereotypical nagging mother? How else could the character have been portrayed?

What do Joyce and Andy learn about each other on their trip? How does their relationship change because of it?

Why do you think the filmmaker decided to include real brands in the movie instead of made-up ones? Does it add or take away from the story?

Movie Details

• In theaters : December 19, 2012
• On DVD or streaming : April 30, 2013
• Cast : Barbra Streisand , Seth Rogen , Yvonne Strahovski
• Director : Anne Fletcher
• Inclusion Information : Female directors, Female actors
• Studio : Paramount Pictures
• Genre : Comedy
• Run time : 95 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : language and some risque material
• Last updated : December 29, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

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The Guilt Trip Reviews

So while this intergenerational road trip has potential, it is wasted. A comedy even your mother might not love.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 11, 2022

A pat, old-fashioned comedy that fails to capitalise on the substantial potential for humour of its leading duo.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Feb 9, 2019

Rogen and Streisand share adequate chemistry but seldom seem like the real deal in Anne Fletcher's fourth movie... Under her direction, Streisand and Rogen look like a pair of actors saying jokes written for them by a comedy think tank.

Full Review | Aug 21, 2018

The whole thing gets duller by the minute.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Aug 17, 2018

A mild and forgettable road comedy.

Full Review | Original Score: C- | Jun 29, 2018

A bit 'eww' in that it's essentially a romcom with a mom and son, it's the perfect Mother's Day outing for people who don't like their mums much.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Sep 5, 2017

The script has let Streisand and Rogen down.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | May 23, 2016

The Guilt Trip struck me something best viewed on an airplane.

Full Review | May 5, 2016

It just cruises along in second gear, being genial.

Full Review | May 3, 2015

The laughs are gentle, of the chuckle rather than laugh-out-loud variety and they're plentiful enough to overlook the episodic sequences.

Full Review | Jun 27, 2014

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | May 2, 2013

Rogen's deadpan misery meshes well with Streisand's oblivious idiocy, making the laughs roll in.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Apr 30, 2013

Contrived and mostly medicore, but may satisfy Streisand fans

Full Review | Mar 28, 2013

It's all kvetch this and kvetch that, with few jokes or amusing encounters ...

Full Review | Mar 10, 2013

It never quite delivers juggernaut-sized laughs, but the sharp-tongued sparring between the two leads pops and fizzes throughout, with Streisand in particular showing she's still an intuitive and naturalistic comedian.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 8, 2013

Streisand has lost little of her gawky, pesky touch in comedy, while Rogen knows just how to be the charmingly daft slob.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Mar 8, 2013

Rogen plays the science nerd Andrew, who has just invented an organic cleaning product and is taking a cross-country trip to find a buyer. In a moment of weakness, he invites his meddling mother Joyce (Streisand).

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Mar 8, 2013

Barbra's speed-yapping makes her mollycoddling mum Joyce even more annoying than she is supposed to be.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Mar 7, 2013

What we're left with is a bafflingly dull road movie. Maybe Alexander Payne could have done something with this.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Mar 7, 2013

It is the makers who should feel guilty.

The Best Episode From Each Season of 'The Nanny,' According To IMDb

M aking waves throughout the 90s, The Nanny was a very popular sitcom that followed the life of Fran Fine ( Fran Drescher ), a boisterous fashionista, who unexpectedly becomes the nanny to the three children of Maxwell Sheffield ( Charles Shaughnessy ), a wealthy widowed Broadway producer. Though an unconventional nanny at first, Fran finds her own way and eventually earns the love and respect of the entire family. Coupled with other iconic characters like Niles ( Daniel Davis ), the smart-mouthed butler, C.C. Babcock ( Lauren Lane ), Maxwell's audacious business partner, as well as Sylvia Fine ( Renée Taylor ), Fran's overbearing yet loving mother - this is an ensemble-heavy sitcom that knows how to balance it all.

From its roller-coaster romances, fabulous fashion moments, clever writing and slapstick humor, it's no wonder why The Nanny was so highly loved by fans and critics alike. It had everything for every viewer in mind. That's probably why the show lasted for six seasons, with 146 episodes and an Emmy under their belt. And let's not forget the catalog of A-List cameos they also managed to round up. Between Ray Charles , Elizabeth Taylor and Coolio , The Nanny seemed like the show everyone was clamoring to be apart from. Indeed, there are tons of fan-favorite moments and gags. However, when looking at the IMDb scores, these are the best episodes that stand out among each season of this classic CBS sitcom.

Release Date November 3, 1993

Cast Lauren Lane, Nicholle Tom, Benjamin Salisbury, Rene Taylor, Madeline Zima, Charles Shaughnessy, Fran Drescher

Main Genre Comedy

Genres Comedy

"I Don't Remember Mama" - Season 1, Episode 22

Imdb ranking: 8.4.

With Mother's Day approaching, Maxwell embarks on his yearly endeavor to distract his children from thinking about their late mother. To do so, he arranges the family to join a country club and enjoy their activities. Unfortunately, things backfire as the club hosts several large-scale Mother's Day celebrations, including a mother-daughter pageant. This forces the kids, especially young Gracie ( Madeline Zima ), to face their grief, something Fran believes is very important.

Like the first season of the show, The Nanny did an exceptional job establishing the dynamics between characters. Indeed, throughout this introductory season, we specifically see Fran's growing relationship with the children as she steps into becoming the maternal figure they seemed to long for. In "I Don't Remember Mamma", this relationship is tragically explored as Gracie expresses her frustration of barely remembering her own mother. Zima delivers a performance that's heartbreakingly sweet and earnest, even more so when she shares the screen with Shaughnessy in their emotional father-daughter talk. But like all episodes of The Nanny, moments of emotionality are always balanced with great humor. However, this episode is little more special than the others as it also features a surprising cameo - and performance - by Patti LaBelle.

"Close Shave" - Season 2, Episode 21

Imdb ranking: 8.7.

In the highest rated episode of the entire show, Maggie ( Nicholle Tom ) earns a job as a hospital candy stripper. However, with a date on the line, Fran steps up and covers for her shift. Unfortunately, this leaves Fran with an uncomfortable situation as the next patient she must shave is Maxwell, who is scheduled in for an appendectomy.

Drescher has always spoken about her admiration for Lucille Ball not only as an actor, but also as a show runner and creative, as she's the person who paved the way for women in comedy. Indeed, by the time season 2 struck around, Drescher truly honed in on Ball's skills in slapstick comedy as, in "Close Shave", she performs one of the most iconic physical comedic gags in the entire series. Sure, the episode has its other great moments - but nothing compares to Fran giving her boss what seems to be an almost-Brazilian.

"The Two Mrs Sheffields" - Season 3, Episode 9

First impressions don't go so well when Fran realizes that the woman she had a scuffle with in the florist turned out to be Maxwell's mother. A strong-headed woman, Mrs Elizabeth Sheffield ( Dina Merril ) doesn't get along with most people, even her own son. So it's safe to say things don't go so well when she demands Maxwell to fire Fran. Indeed, he does the complete opposite and proposes to her just to spite his mother.

Where The Nanny centers most of its familial chaos around Fran and her hectic family life , the occasional look into Maxwell's past and upbringing is always welcomed - even if it is condescendingly hoity-toity. And with extreme posh snobbery oozing from every pore of Mrs Sheffield, it's safe to say that the legendary Dina Merril did a wonderful job at grinding people's gears. However, like most episodes of this show, the cheeky banter between Fran and Maxwell was the clear highlight of it all. Between the guilt-tripping and the sneaky toying, it's always fun to see Maxwell Sheffield sweat a little.

"Fran's Gotta Have It" - Season 4, Episode 26

Imdb ranking: 8.3.

As Maxwell travels to London for an important meeting with Celine Dion , Fran seizes the opportunity of the city's romantic landscape, and follows him overseas to settle their "situationship" once and for all. However, after a day of romantic endeavors, as well as some stark revelations, their trip is cut short once they are informed of Niles' shocking heart attack.

From stunning location shots to sweet little montages of romance, "Fran's Gotta Have It" is a key episode of Fran and Maxwell's tumultuous love story as it details all the highs and all the lows. Indeed, this is an episode shippers love to look back on as the chemistry between Shaughnessy and Drescher remains palpable throughout. Between rowing boats, snuggling on benches, and even in their arguments - the passion they hold for each other is clear. It's also nice to see an episode that sees everyone rallying in support of Niles - who many are still surprised is played by an American. In fact, in addition to the lovefest of Max and Fran, fans are also gifted with some sweet moments between Niles and C.C. - quickly followed by their snarky quips and banter which many have grown to adore.

"The Engagement" - Season 5, Episode 15

Imdb ranking: 8.2.

After years of a will-they-won't they relationship , Fran and Maxwell happily return to the family to announce how Maxwell finally told Fran that he loved her - and without taking it back! What's even more exciting is that he plans to propose. The news quickly spreads like wildfire, unbeknownst to him, but as the important dinner approaches, he is nowhere to be found.

Throughout the entire series, it seemed that Maxwell loved to propose to Fran. In fact, he did so around four times - most of which had ulterior motives and were instantly regretted right after it happened. However, that was all until "The Engagement", the episode where Maxwell is finally ready to take the plunge and act on his deep love for Fran. Indeed, fans see his earnest intentions in an emotional little scene where he speaks to a photo of his late-wife, hoping for her own blessing. In the end, the proposal doesn't occur the way in which anyone expected: isolated, in a dirty alleyway, injured from a mugging, and without an actual ring. But, it's romantic nonetheless, as Maxwell and Fran finally commit to their love in the most tender way. It's heartwarming to see Fran and Max in their little love bubble, and it's also lovely to see how supportive everyone is as well - minus C.C. of course.

"The Finale: Part 2" - Season 6, Episode 22

Imdb ranking: 8.6.

In the second half of the series finale, Fran and Maxwell see the arrival of their twins - Jonah Samuel and Eve Catherine. At the same time, capping off their legendary enemies-to-lovers romance , Niles and C.C. finally solidify their union with a surprise wedding, followed by even more surprising news. In the end, fans say goodbye to the Sheffield family as the two eldest kids leave for Europe, with the rest ready to embark on their new lives in California.

Indeed, this finale is arguably one of the greatest series finales of all time. In true sitcom fashion, everyone's stories are wrapped up in a nice bow, but not too tightly, as they are set up for a new blossoming future. Between the new babies, two kids flying from the nest, a surprise wedding (and pregnancy), along with an across-the-country move - a lot is packed into this episode. However, it showcases everything beautifully, and wonderfully honors what made The Nanny so great. In fact, the most heartwarming moment sees Fran finding her old cosmetic kit, kick-starting a huge nostalgic trip as both Fran and the fans reflect on where it all started. It was also a really nice touch to include the final curtain call of all the cast members. A true celebration of a beloved comfort show.

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NEXT: 'The Nanny' and the Balancing Act of Timeless Comedy