The Short Film ‘Have a Safe Trip’ is a Fun-Yet-Zany Take on a Romantic Comedy

“Have a Safe Trip” is a comedy/short written and directed by Liz Wiest. It’s the kind of short I’m not used to seeing, a hopeful romantic comedy surrounded by a drug trip. It reminded me at once of films like “Eternal Sunshine Of the Spotless Mind” (for one protagonist’s look) and “500 Days of Summer” (for the other protagonist’s hopeful exuberance), yet the film is more optimistic and cheerful than either one of those stories. At 11 minutes the short watches easily, doesn’t overstay its welcome, and lets us connect to its two leads. On top of that it’s fun and endearing, words not often associated with films that center on drug use. 

“Have a Safe Trip” quickly introduces us to its male protagonist, Carl (Michael A. Stahler) as he’s preparing dinner for a date. His roommate has left the kitchen a mess, and as he’s washing dishes Michelle (Carleigh Spence) arrives, commenting not on the mess of a kitchen, but the cute note left on his refrigerator from his roommate to “have a good date.” Michelle carries herself like a free spirit, eating a bag of Cheetos or some such snack while wearing clothes (and a hair style) that underline her carefree attitude. Carl is nervous, dressed in a short sleeved button-up shirt, and it’s clear he’s trying to present himself well for the date. Michelle wasn’t aware it was a date, yet it’s clear the two share chemistry. It all sets up her decision to offer the two LSD instead of eating (she’s not hungry after all the snacks), enticing him to ‘take a trip’ with her for their first romantic endeavor. 

Comedy and Romance

The strength of “Have a Safe Trip” is it seamlessly interweaves its hallucinogenic plot device into the couple’s burgeoning romance in a way that defies the potential seriousness of the topic. This isn’t one of those movies where a decision like this ruins peoples’ lives, nor one that necessarily endorses it either. Carl wants to impress Michelle. Though he’s never done acid, he knows how, and the film previews the coming trip and hallucinations with a cartoonized version of two LSD stamps that felt amusing. In a fit of irony, Michelle ends up having a bad trip, putting Carl more in a leader role. The middle section of the film veers straight in to comedy land, interweaving animation and caricatures with the exact types of introspective conversations people on mind-altering drugs have the tendency to have. 

Wiest has a talent for comedy here, and it shows that she cares about her characters while allowing us to connect to them uniquely. She also takes us into the middle of their drug experience, which will start as fantastical adults roles that don’t match the duo’s personalities and ultimately land in the world of psychedelics and cartoon caricatures. The film’s artwork is by Megan Swick with animation by Busra Nakiboglu and it couldn’t be better. Without spoiling any of the evens of the film, the narrative and animation takes Carl and Michelle on a strange adventure. I liked the way that Swick and Nakiboglu take us into a psychedelic experience without actually being there, and the way Wiest playfully makes fun of the insane conversations people have while high without being irreverent. I also liked that she works the conversation the two have at the film’s close, musing on their future and hopeful romantic connection. 

Good Chemistry for a Short Film

All-in-all, “Have a Safe Trip” is a fun comedy short. Its style and narrative are fun and flow easily, and both its lead actors are likable and do a great job. Underneath its zany nature—and despite its animations and drug-induced insanity—the film is also a capable romantic comedy. I left hoping more is to come between Carl and Michelle, and that’s no easy feat for an 11-minute film. As “Have a Safe Trip” reels back to reality, and the two try and have the date they should have had in the first place, Michelle drops the film’s funniest bit and the credits roll to Carl’s perfect response. A very enjoyable film that I hope does well in its festival run. 

“Have a Safe Trip” played at Philadelphia Film Society’s SpringFest on April 19th and 20th and will screen at FirstGlance Film Festival on May 8th, 2026.