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The Trip · 2011 — Chapter 20 of 20 · 4'17" · B2

Steve Leaves His Parents, Explained: as broad as it's long

The goodbye keeps turning practical: roadworks, a possible TV job in America, a parent saying to take care. Under it, Mischa was meant to be here. "We're going through a bit of a hiatus" shrinks the gap, and calling Rob the substitute girlfriend makes the gap obvious. In the car, stay-or-go is refused. Later, octave boasts take over.

What happens

Outside, a warning about roadworks becomes a goodbye. Mischa is in America. Someone calls it "a bit of a hiatus," and a joke names Rob the substitute girlfriend. In the car, a possible TV series comes up, stay-or-go is refused, and later a high note is sung for queen and country.

Goodbyes & funeralsTeasingTeasingExplainingB2britishClean
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as broad as it's longbe better off doing somethingfor queen and countrya bit of a hiatus

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Phrase of the scene

as broad as it's long

the same either way; six of one, half a dozen of the other

史蒂夫的父亲建议改走另一个方向绕开施工，史蒂夫却用这句回应：走哪边都差不多。

Take the motorway or the back roads - it's as broad as it's long.

Also in this scene

  • be better off doing something

    to be in a better position if you do something

  • for queen and country

    with patriotic duty, often said with mock seriousness

  • a bit of a hiatus

    a short pause or break in something

Everything marked in this scene

31 notes across 68 lines

Phrase · B1all the way from A to BThere's road works all the way from junction 24 to 27.
Phrase · B2be better off doing something

to be in a better position if you do something

You'd be better off going anti-clockwise.
Grammar · B2You'd be better off going

be better off + gerund

You'd be better off going anti-clockwise.
Phrase · C1as broad as it's long

the same either way; six of one, half a dozen of the other

Yes, well, it's as broad as it's long, isn't it?
Grammar · C1as broad as it's long

as ... as comparison

Yes, well, it's as broad as it's long, isn't it?
Soundas broad as it's long

liaison

Yes, well, it's as broad as it's long, isn't it?
Phrase · B2God bless- Really nice to meet you. - God bless.
Slang · B2God bless- Really nice to meet you. - God bless.
Slang · B2Cheerio- Bye-bye. Bye-bye. - Cheerio.
Phrase · A2at the momentShe's in America at the moment, yeah.
Phrase · A2come with someoneOh, we thought she'd be coming with you.
Phrase · C1a bit of a hiatus

a short pause or break in something

We're going through a bit of a hiatus.
Phrase · A2spend a lot of time doing somethingWell, it would mean spending a lot of time over there, though.
Grammar · B2it would mean spending

would mean + gerund

Well, it would mean spending a lot of time over there, though.
Phrase · B1carry someone's bagsIf you need anybody to carry your bags around.
Phrase · A2take care of oneselfNow, listen, you take care of yourself.
Soundtake care of yourself

liaison

Now, listen, you take care of yourself.
Phrase · B1nothing to worry aboutIt's okay. Nothing to worry about.
Slang · B2loveBye, love. Bye.
Phrase · B1make a decisionSo have you made a decision about America?
Phrase · A2to be honestI love Mischa, and I want to be with her, but... I don't really want to talk about it, to be honest.
Phrase · B1go through somethingYou want to talk about things you've gone through?
Phrase · B2now it's historyThough it's hurting me, now it's history.
Phrase · A2a little bitI think you strained a little bit.
Phrase · B2a wonderful rangeBut I have a wonderful range.
Grammar · C1I could have done opera

could have done

- People... I could have done opera. - How many octaves?
Phrase · C1for queen and country

with patriotic duty, often said with mock seriousness

When I sing an octave up, I sing it for queen and country.
Grammar · B1When I sing an octave up

when-clause

When I sing an octave up, I sing it for queen and country.
Soundfor queen and country

liaison

When I sing an octave up, I sing it for queen and country.
Phrase · B2something would be a pleasureAlthough, I admit, singing an octave up with you would be a pleasure.
Phrase · B2an octave upListen, it's do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do, and the next "do" is an octave up.

Steve Leaves His Parents, explained

What's really going on

The useful talk is a cover. Whether to go anti-clockwise is settled with "it's as broad as it's long" — the route doesn't matter, so it's safe to discuss. Mischa does. She was expected along and she's in America. "We're going through a bit of a hiatus" keeps that small, then someone calls Rob the substitute girlfriend and the reply is "I hope not." America comes back as a possible TV series and "spending a lot of time over there." At the car, "you take care of yourself" is the worried goodbye, answered with "Nothing to worry about." Inside, "Will you stay, or will you go?" gets "I love Mischa, and I want to be with her, but" and "I don't really want to talk about it." "Though it's hurting me, now it's history" pretends the subject is closed. Later the talk is octaves, opera, and "for queen and country": louder, and about anything but her.

Theme

HeartbreakMischa is away in America, the gap is called a hiatus, and a later line files the hurt as history.
Dark humorRob is named the substitute girlfriend, and a high note gets sung for queen and country.

What you'll learn

  • Hiatus as a soft pause
  • At the moment as a present location
  • As broad as it's long as six of one

Listen for

  • as broad as it's long — liaison
  • take care of yourself — liaison
  • for queen and country — liaison
Yes, well, it's as broad as it's long, isn't it?

The route debate is over. Clockwise or anti-clockwise, the distance comes out the same, so the choice is not worth a fight.

Though it's hurting me, now it's history.

Asked about things he has been through, he admits it still hurts and files it as finished so the questions will stop.

But I have a wonderful range.

Right after admitting he strained, he boasts that the voice still has a wonderful range, opera included.

When I sing an octave up, I sing it for queen and country.

A higher note is dressed up as patriotic duty. Nobody is going to war; the grandeur is the joke.

Questions about this scene

Why is Rob called the substitute girlfriend?

Mischa has not come on the trip. She is in America, the relationship is called "a bit of a hiatus," and the next joke names Rob as the stand-in partner. "Oh, I hope not" shows the joke landed a little too close.

Why won't he answer stay or go in the car?

"Will you stay, or will you go?" is answered with love for Mischa, a "but," and "I don't really want to talk about it, to be honest." The TV series would mean spending a lot of time over there. "Though it's hurting me, now it's history" tries to close the subject anyway.

What does "as broad as it's long" mean here?

It means the two options come out equal. Someone has warned about roadworks from junction 24 to 27 and suggested going anti-clockwise. This line shrugs: either way is much the same, so there is nothing to argue about.

Is the wonderful-range boast serious?

No. He admits he strained, claims five octaves, then "How much is an octave?" pulls the number down through two to one. "Pavarotti struggles to do five" is there to burst it. "For queen and country" keeps the same mock grandeur.

Why does the parent say to take care?

It comes after the hiatus and the talk of a TV series in America. "Now, listen, you take care of yourself" is fussing, and the answer "Nothing to worry about" and "Everything's fine" only underlines that something feels off.

The Trip · 20 chapters

All chapters →
Chapter 1have someone down asSteve and Rob Set OffChapter 2part of its charmSteve and Rob Share a RoomChapter 3take a long, hard look in the mirrorThe Michael Caine Impression DuelChapter 4in a troughSteve Calls From the TroughChapter 5put someone on the back footCalls on the Road to CartmelChapter 6the king of understatementBond Impressions Over DinnerChapter 7living the dreamTelling Steve He's Living the DreamChapter 8method in my madnessSteve and Rob at Greta HallChapter 9contend withSteve and Rob Rank Their CareersChapter 10not unlikeTurned Away at Dove CottageChapter 11at first lightSteve and Rob's Costume DramaChapter 12not a lot of people knowThe Michael Caine ImpressionsChapter 13Cut to the chaseSteve Takes His Agent's CallChapter 14don't come running to meShushed on the B RoadsChapter 15a wee bitA Phone Call by the LakeChapter 16an albatross around my neckCoogan and Brydon Compare CareersChapter 17as empty experiences goDad Phones Joe About DrinkingChapter 18stick the knife inMock Eulogy at the GraveChapter 19if push came to shoveHiring Divers for the GestureWatching · Chapter 20as broad as it's longSteve Leaves His Parents
That's all 20 chapters of this film