The Greatest Beer Run Ever | Average Guy Movie Review

In 1967 the United States is heavily embroiled in the Vietnam war, and John 'Chickie' Donohue (Zac Efron) gets an idea to show his buddies from the neighbourhood serving in Vietnam that the folks back home support them. He's going to bring them beer. But he soon learns that smuggling himself into the country will prove to be the easy part.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever represents a very different approach to doing a war movie, in much the same way that a beer run is a rather odd way to see an actual war. Peter Farrelly , the creator of Loudermilk and director of such comedy classics as Dumb & Dumber and Me, Myself and Irene is not exactly the first guy you think of to direct a war movie, but as soon as you learn what this movie is about - or at least read the title - it all starts to make sense. The other thing that strikes you about The Greatest Beer Run Ever is that it's based on a true story. John 'Chickie' Donohue did indeed travel all over south Vietnam - with a lot of help from the US military - bringing beer to all his buddies. Not only did he live to tell the tale, he wrote a book about his experiences. A mind-boggling fact, but one that only adds to the hilarity of the movie. It's equal parts comic fish out of water road trip and candid, alternative view of the conflict in Vietnam and the politics surrounding it.

Zac Efron is fantastic as Chickie. He nails both the loveable idiot side to Chickie, the one who thinks it's a good idea to smuggle beer into a warzone, and the man whose eyes are opened after stepping through the looking glass. All of which he does whilst sporting a fabulous moustache. Through his performance we see both a divided America - something that continues to feel oddly poignant - and a spectator's view of the harsh realities of war. The latter of which is reinforced by the varying but similar reactions of the guys Chickie has travelled all this way to see. Archie Renaux, Jake Picking, Will Ropp and Kyle Allen all bring a mix of surprise, concern and anger to the soldiers they play, as well as a sense that they have aged beyond their years. While Bill Murray and Russell Crowe - as the guy who puts the idea of going to Vietnam into Chickie's head and the fictional but jaded war reporter who takes Chickie under his wing - only add to that feeling of two very different worlds.

Somehow, Farrelly is able to take these incredible situations that Chickie finds himself in and make them both terrifying and hilarious at the same time. Like a visit to the frontline to see his buddy Rick (Jake Picking). After naively popping up with beer, Chickie must follow Rick through incoming fire to reach cover. Naturally this is a scary prospect - something that is reflected in the scene - yet Farrelly still manages to find humour in the ridiculousness of a man running across a battlefield with a bag full of cans of beer. Now some of that humour does fade away in the latter half of the movie, as Chickie begins to see the war from a very different perspective, but the movie never makes the mistake of being preachy. However, if The Greatest Beer Run Ever does commit one sin, it's that there are times when this wild ride begins to feel like the Hollywood streamlined version of the story. Which begs the question; 'What did they leave out?' Although if you're anything like me it'll simply make you want to buy the book so you can enjoy this incredible tale in even greater detail.

With The Greatest Beer Run Ever Peter Farrelly delivers a very different kind of war movie. Despite the Hollywood streamlined feel, it's a candid look at the horrible futility of the Vietnam war, highlighted by this crazy but hilarious road trip, and a charmingly funny performance from Zac Efron.

8/10

The Greatest Beer Run Ever is available to watch on Apple TV+.

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