The Couch Trip

The Couch Trip is a 1988 American comedy film directed by Michael Ritchie. It stars Dan Aykroyd, Walter Matthau, Charles Grodin and Donna Dixon. It is loosely based on the 1971 novel, The Couch Trip, by Ken Kolb.

Plot
Alleged mental patient John Burns is sent to Dr. Lawrence Baird's office after causing a riot in the hospital cafeteria. Dr. Baird receives a message from his secretary that a patient was in need of him. As Dr. Baird leaves his office, Burns coincidentally intercepts a telephone call from lawyer Harvey Michaels, requesting Dr. Baird to fill in for Dr. George Maitlin on his popular radio talk show. Burns assumes Dr. Baird's identity, and jumps at the chance to escape the hospital. With the help of Dr. Baird's secretary, he breaks out and picks up a waiting ticket at the Chicago airport.

Burns arrives in Los Angeles, where he is met by Dr. Maitlin's radio show assistant, Dr. Laura Rollins, and escorted to the waiting limousine. He crosses paths with Donald Becker, a crazy faux priest who is collecting money to save plants. Becker recognizes the trousers that Burns is wearing to be prison issue.

Appearing on the radio talk show, Burns is a huge hit, offering people free consultations and using profanity on the air. He even arranges for listeners to go to a baseball game at Dodger Stadium for free (where he also sings the national anthem).

All goes well until Dr. Maitlin meets the real Dr. Baird in London, where they both attend the same seminar. They fly back to Los Angeles to try to find what is going on behind their backs.

Burns has been paid for the show (in cash) and is ready to leave town when he sees on the in-flight TV that Becker is on top of the Hollywood sign, shouting Baird's name. Burns decides to go back and help to resolve the situation, where he is arrested, but rescued on the way to the penitentiary by Becker and Dr. Rollins.

In the final scenes, Burns shows his inmate number as "7474505B" (which is the same number that Jake Blues had in The Blues Brothers, and Louis Winthorpe III in Trading Places).

Cast

 * Dan Aykroyd as John W. Burns, Jr.
 * Walter Matthau as Donald Becker
 * Charles Grodin as George Maitlin
 * Donna Dixon as Laura Rollins
 * Richard Romanus as Harvey Michaels
 * Mary Gross as Vera Maitlin
 * David Clennon as Lawrence Baird
 * Scott Thomson as Klevin
 * David Wohl as Dr. Smet
 * Arye Gross as Perry Kovin
 * Victoria Jackson as Robin
 * Chevy Chase as "Condom Father" (cameo appearance)

Reception
The movie received mixed reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a rating of 33%, based on 9 reviews.

Home media
Although the film was a flop at the box office, it did well when released on home video.