More and more stoner comedies and different types of movies are embracing the chaotic magic of a crazy trip movie scene that’s fun to watch.
Whether characters pop a mushroom, take a tab of acid, or lick the butt of a toad, their drug-induced journeys are worth the watch.
There are tons of trippy movies out there for a pothead to enjoy.
These 7 trip scenes are some of my favorites:
1. 21 Jump Street
A hilarious moment in cinematic history in 21 Jump Street is when Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill start tripping balls on a drug called HFS (“Holy Fucking Shit”) as undercover Narcs working to bust a high school drug ring.
It goes from 0 to 100, showcasing the fun and danger of riding such a strong wave. The chemistry between the guys is perfect. They get crazy confidence, storming around the school with Tatum writing a million number ‘fours’ all over a whiteboard. He drops the dry-erase marker, “Science, bitch!” with unmatched confidence. From the moment they start believing their tongues are rolling out of their mouths, this trip is so fun.
The sequel movie, 22 Jump Street, has another insane trip sequence that is a bit too reliant on green screen for my taste, but it’s still good.
2. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Some drug experiences can become life-changingly scary or stick with us forever. The trip sequence from the 1998 classic Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is freaky to watch.
They take mostly acid on the way and begin tripping in Sin City when they get to the hotel. Our hero, played by Johnny Depp, is Raul Duke, an alter ego of the legendary writer Hunter S. Thompson.
He starts tripping balls and struggles to take a valet ticket. Once inside, the carpet moves and morphs, blowing his mind. Duke becomes covered in sweat and panics.
It shows how rough things get when you’re not in the right mindset or physical setting (called set and setting). But it can be fun to watch.
3. Lucy
Lucy stars Scarlet Johansson as a woman who has a new fictional drug put into her body and is forced to transport it. When it slowly begins seeping into her system, she’s able to access 100% of her brain and goes on an ultimate trip. She’s travels through time, visiting cavemen and then going back to the dinosaurs.
Lucy takes the full dose of the drug and ascends to a new reality. It makes every other trip seem weak much weaker. It’s almost like she left this dimension.
It could be a lesson in the importance of understanding dosing.
4. Booksmart
The women of Booksmart turn into Claymation dolls when fictional drugs kick in. It’s expertly animated and funny. This take on a trip sequence was great. Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein’s uptight characters become toys struggling to hop off a dresser.
After observing their Barbie-like bodies, the two comment on their new looks before finding a way to escape the warped reality. Turning the protagonists into dolls was a smart way to emphasize society’s expectations.
5. The Good Dinosaur
The Good Dinosaur is an often overlooked film. But one thing you shouldn’t miss from this story is its wild trip sequence. After eating wild fruit with crazy side effects, they go bonkers.
The dinosaur and boy imagine laughing their heads off, growing so many extra sets of eyes, and switching heads.
Though the drugged-up sequence in this movie is brief, it’s sure to get a well-earned chuckle from adult viewers who can maybe relate to a trip like that.
6. Friendship
In the movie, the main genuinely nuts character in Friendship hits a low point and licks a toad’s butt in a cell phone backroom.
I braced myself for the worst.
But it transports him to a fully functioning Subway sandwich shop. He politely and calmly places his order.
When he snaps back to reality he is pissed.
“It’s just Subway!?” he exclaims. My theater erupted with laughter.
Toying with our expectations and blowing them out of the water, through moments of absolute normalcy that horseshoe wraps back around into being pure lunacy, makes Robinson one of the trippiest comedians out there.
In the end, it’s all about having a trip that’s safe, fun, and freeing.
Learn and see why those experiences either flopped or succeeded.
7. Midsommer
Florence Pugh delivers an emotional journey from the film’s start to its violent end. Her trip on magic mushrooms begins calmly. Pugh feels the wind and observes grass growing on her hands.
Then something shifts. Pugh feels uncomfortable and runs.
The rest of the movie unfurls like a drug-fueled mystery. You’re left to wonder what the hell is going on. It might not be the best movie to watch while you are on drugs, because it gets pretty unhinged. But put Midsommer on your watchlist.
