During the last four years, DreamWorks saw box office hits in both the raunchy comedy “Road Trip” and the slightly (almost nonexistent) more mature “Old School” during the month of February. Hoping to capitalize on that success once again, “Eurotrip” was born, a 90-minute male fantasy in which gross-out gags replace clever dialogue and plot is exchanged for large amounts of gratuitous female nudity. That said, in coming to that conclusion, it’s obvious that somewhere along the lines, “Eurotrip” has managed to please its core audience. This is probably the weakest effort in this gross-out trilogy, but it still makes for a fun time at the movies. The film opens with the hero Scottie being dumped by his long-time high school girlfriend Fiona. Devastated from the fallout, he confides in a pen pal that he has been communicating with a man from Germany, one he believes is named Mike. After revealing information about the break up, Mike sends an e-mail expressing his sorrow and proposes that maybe it would be a good idea for the two to meet up when he comes to the States.
Immediately fearing some kind of homosexual inclination, Scottie freaks out and replies to the e-mail with phrases such as “Stay away from me and my testicles, you sick German freak.” Of course, as luck would have it, it is revealed to him the next morning that the name Mike is Mieke in German, and actually is a common girls’ name overseas. After putting the pieces together, it becomes apparent that Mieke is actually a beautiful blonde woman who wants Scottie’s body but has now blocked him from her account due to his harsh e-mail. Conveniently, Scottie’s dumb best friend Cooper (resembling a young David Spade) and a brother and sister duo (Travis Wester and Michelle Tractenberg) are headed to Europe for the summer, so it’s the perfect opportunity to hitch a ride and find the would-be girl of his dreams in Germany.
Of course, as luck would have it, things do not go exactly as planned. The road to Germany proves a troublesome one, leading the quarto all across Europe on a variety of escapades. Several would-be riotous scenarios ensue involving nude beaches equipped with dozens of middle aged men, brutal S&M sex shops, and even a good dose of incest for the road. Yes, “Eurotrip” leaves few stones unturned. Plenty of naked female body parts can be expected along the way as well.
“Eurotrip” is a mildly successful diversion, mostly due to an attractive, charming cast that seems to convey the feeling that they are having fun despite the weak film that surrounds them. Scott Mechlowicz has enough charisma and good looks as the lead to keep the audience’s attention during any lulls, and the pace is fairly brisk for the majority of the running time. As far as the jokes are concerned, there is nothing in the film that is laugh out loud funny, but rather there are strings of amusing skits that make the grade without acing the test.
When all is said and done, “Eurotrip” is the first sign of spring and summer in a string of winter movies. This alone will give it even more appeal to the demographic crowd (high school graduates and college students), which will help elevate the appeal of this generally mediocre effort. It’s not that “Eurotrip” is bad; it’s actually rather painless, but it’s nothing that hasn’t been done before and in a better or more effective way. There are some nice sights and fun to be had along the way in “Eurotrip,” but in the end, this film loses steam because there’s nothing that elevates it above its intended genre, which deems this a rather forgettable vacation.