The Most Epic Beer Run Even if Ever has excellent intentions, it is unable to properly express what it wants to say.
Could a chilled beer resolve all of the world’s problems? Last but not least, you wouldn’t think it would matter in a bloody conflict, would you? However, this is precisely why John “Chick” Donohue’s tale strikes one as both interesting and irrational at the same time.
The idea that an Irish-American New Yorker and former U.S. marine spent eight weeks on a beer run to Vietnam as a show of support for the soldiers fighting in the war itself is ludicrous, and it becomes even more so when it is turned into a film like The Greatest Beer Run Ever.
There is little doubt that Peter Farrelly strips away a significant amount of the actual Donohue’s story’s layers in the name of historical accuracy and entertainment value.
Director Peter Farrelly follows up on the Oscar-winning Green Book with another movie that explores a period of history while attempting to make it more of a benign entertainment than a thoroughly educational one.
Despite its very serious subject matter, the movie makes an effort to maintain a lighthearted tone. The cast that Farrelly chooses, though, makes this movie more delightful than it may have been otherwise. Given the type of genre company, it would be in, calling it a war movie seems inappropriate.
It’s like a Jojo Rabbit of war movie, trying to inject humor or levity into an otherwise somber historical period. There are times when the movie manages to keep you interested while also making you doubt Chickie’s mission’s foolishness and, of course, how many beer cans he truly has in the duffel bag given how he intends to distribute them like Santa’s gifts.
In The Greatest Beer Run Ever, merchant seaman Chickie (Zac Efron) finds it difficult to say goodbye to the neighborhood guys who have since died in Vietnam and are now becoming war heroes.
Chickie is one of those Americans who doesn’t fully understand why America is at war but still supports it. Zac Efron is also tired of sitting on the fence and witnessing young boys die as heroes, so at the first chance he gets, Chickie is prepared to take on an absurd task suggested by bartender The Colonel (Bill Murray) about thanking the boys who have served, while his sister Christine (Ruby Ashbourne Serkis) is protesting the war around the neighborhood.
The New Yorker confidently declares, “could, would, and will,” leaving everyone he knows in a state of bewilderment at his decision to sign up for the job of carrying beer to Vietnam.
As soon as Chickie steps foot in a conflict zone, his optimistic outlook will undoubtedly be severely smashed as he is forced to confront the harsh realities of war.
Along the way, Zac Efron comes across characters who help him comprehend the conflict better, such as Lt. Habershaw (Matt Cook) and a war reporter played by Russell Crowe who challenges Donohue’s perceptions by giving some sobering truths.
When Chickie leaves New York, we see him begin to lose his idealized perspective of the war. By the time he arrives in Vietnam, he is fatigued, frightened for his life, and has concluded that a few cool beers won’t make much of a difference. A special thank you to cinematographer Sean Porter, whose skill with the camera once again works its magic, just as it did for Green Book.
Chickie is a role that Zac Efron is a fantastic fit for, and for the most part, the actor performs the role credit. Zac Efron skillfully captures Chickie’s compassionate side while simultaneously demonstrating how he is unable to grasp reality until it is thrust into his face.
The actor does a great job portraying a character who simultaneously elicits sympathy and causes you to feel a little uneasy due to his annoying naivety. Russell Crowe, who plays the war-torn reporter assigned to the task of bringing Chickie to grips with the brutal reality, is one of the other members of the ensemble who leaves a lasting impression.
Along with an unrecognizably young Bill Murray, Jake Picking, Kyle Allen, and Will Ropp make up a strong supporting ensemble.
It’s clear that Peter Farrelly intends to examine the idea of a culture war that existed then and still has an impact on society today in The Greatest Beer Run Ever, but Chickie Donohue’s story doesn’t seem to go very far in terms of making a statement on the same.
With a cockeyed optimist like Chickie at its center, the Vietnam War is still a part of American history that has been ethically contentious. The movie comes out as a facile justification for showing us another side of a fairly complicated moment, which doesn’t necessarily sit well.
The Greatest Beer Run Ever wants its viewers to take the movie’s lighthearted tone seriously, yet despite its best efforts, it is a muddled war comedy that never quite manages to set its tone.
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