Overview
A road trip through New York City reveals the complexities of love and family.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- sardonic
- warm
- lazy sunday
- indie movie night
What critics said
Critics generally found the film well-crafted, authentic, and buoyed by an excellent cast, though its abrasive humor and complaining characters divided some viewers.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Eliza, her parents, sister Jo, and Jo's boyfriend travel by station wagon into New York City over one concentrated journey.
The family bickers throughout the trip, and the critical consensus specifically identifies the film's scabrous sense of humor.
The station-wagon trip to the city functions as the film's central structure, with chance meetings and relationship confrontations replacing action set pieces.
Critics praised the cast and authentic sense of place, while the story moves through New York City, rooftops, and ordinary travel environments.
Films like The Daytrippers, and why
Flirting with Disaster
shared dysfunctional-family road trip, prickly humor, and relationship-focused ensemble comedy
The Squid and the Whale
shared intimate independent filmmaking, intergenerational family friction, and bittersweet comic drama
Walking and Talking
shared conversational ensemble structure, urban relationship anxiety, and sharp independent comedy
Little Miss Sunshine
shared one-day journey, family bickering, chance encounters, and warm dramatic observation
Movie Details
- Director
- Greg Mottola
- Release Date
- 1997-03-05
- Runtime
- 87 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (114)
Cast
- Hope Davis
- Pat McNamara
- Anne Meara
- Parker Posey
- Liev Schreiber
- Campbell Scott
- Stanley Tucci
- Marc Grapey
- Marcia Gay Harden
- Marcia Haufrecht
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, Cinemax Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Cinemax Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Daytrippers about?
- A sharp, affectionate station-wagon journey turns one woman's suspected marital betrayal into an urban family reckoning.
- What is The Daytrippers like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Daytrippers as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Daytrippers violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Daytrippers.
- What did critics think of The Daytrippers?
- Critics generally found the film well-crafted, authentic, and buoyed by an excellent cast, though its abrasive humor and complaining characters divided some viewers.
- Which films are like The Daytrippers?
- Films with a similar feel include Flirting with Disaster, The Squid and the Whale, Walking and Talking, and Little Miss Sunshine.
- How long is The Daytrippers?
- The Daytrippers runs 87 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Daytrippers?
- In United States, The Daytrippers streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, Cinemax Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Cinemax Apple TV channel.
