AT last we have something to laugh about. After a spate of distinctly unfunny comedies, Road Trip (15) comes to the rescue and tickles the funny bone.

What it lacks in originality think Animal House and last year's American Pie, and indeed any movie featuring randy American teenagers it makes up for in jokes that flow free and fast and a succession of good old fashioned belly laughs.

The fun kicks off at the University of Ithaca in New York state, where student Josh (Breckin Meyer) struggles to maintain a long-term relationship with girlfriend Tiffany (Rachel Blanchard) who is 1,800 miles away at college in Austin, Texas.

And when a video of Josh having sex with another student is inadvertently posted to Tiffany, drastic action is called for. So Josh and pals EL, Rubin and Kyle (Seann William Scott, Paulo Costanzo and DJ Squalls) hit the road and try to get to Tiffany before the mail does.

The journey, of course, is not without incident. When the car which belongs to Kyle's dad blows up, they "borrow" a bus from a school for the blind. When fuel funds run low, they call in at a clinic to donate sperm in return for cash. And they arrive at an all-black fraternity house to spend the night, which turns out to be quite an adventure, particularly for rake-thin virgin Kyle.

All this is punctuated by wonderful deadpan narration from death-fixated Barry (Tom Green), the friend who stays at home to feed his pal's snake with a living, wriggling white mouse.

OK, subtlety takes a back seat to the lewd and the crude, but the characters are likeable enough, the timing of the gags is spot on, and the young largely unknown cast is clearly comfortable with the comedy.

And bad taste can be great fun the sperm bank scene will make you laugh and wince at the same time, and you will wonder whether it is cruel or unhygienic to put a live mouse in your mouth.

Leave your inhibitions at home and enjoy. Rating: 7 out of 10

Stephen Webb