Review of The Greatest Beer Run Ever (2022) by Starlaird — 26 Sep 2022

In short, more brilliant, tangible and thought-provoking than it had any business creating out of the premise (though it is technically a true story, so they had some help).

The title of this movie is misleading, it's not a fun story about a guy and his friends on an adventure with wild antics. It may start out like that, but as it goes on it becomes so much more profound than that. The growth of Zack Effron's character (Chickie) is the most well earned and entirely sympathetic. The stance on the Vietnam War feels transparent and widely representing of various viewpoints but the movie itself does take it's own stance which might offput some audience members with strong unyielding patriotism. I feel that it doesn't attack this support of the controversial Vietnam War as other more heavy fisted movies might, with characters in that line of thinking (Namely Bill Murray's Colonel) being shown in a positive light. Hopefully this will be a great talking point to allow people from both sides to be able to understand the opinion of one other regarding war in general. However, if nothing else it is a truly beautiful and endearing movie that blends comedy and poignant heart wrenching moments without feeling jolting. Everything is transitions smoothly one moment into the next even while fitting a massive amount of story into just over 2 hours. One of the most well told stories I've ever seen put to pixels.