The Greatest Beer Run Ever – A Light-Hearted War Film

War films have a penchant for making audiences feel bad, which they should, through gore and showcasing of brutal sufferings of the many who brave the battlefield for their country. The usual tone of these films fits the bill – it’s about a war and it’s going to be bleak. But, Peter Farrelly’s The Greatest Beer Run Ever takes a different path. It relies not on the usual tropes of the genre, but on audiences’ sensibility to consume a war story told in a different tone. That is not to say that the film shies away from the harsh realities of the Vietnam War, but the depiction is much more subtle. Somber music pervades the scenes of death, violence, and acts of wrongdoing. While the film deals with the many cruelties and damages of war, it also slightly broaches the subject of the role of war journalism during the Vietnam War.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever is based on the true story of John “Chickie” Donohue (Efron). Chickie is a young, pro-War New Yorker whose good-for-nothing life takes a turn when he decides to bring beer to his friends fighting in Vietnam. Beer is merely a MacGuffin that represents a message of support and camaraderie from those back home in the States.

Efron, who is in each of the scenes, is captivating as Chickie. His performance pulls audiences in and keeps them rooting for Chickie. The film heavily relies on Efron’s performance for it to work, and sometimes maybe a little too much. There is no other character for us to focus on for the first two acts. Crowe has a small but important role as Arthur Coates, a journalist on the field covering the War. He and Murray do not have enough scenes to leave a significant impact, but they deliver their best with what they are given. Apart from the performances, Dave Palmer’s score brings a serene feeling to the film. Working in tandem with the needle drops, the score keeps the tone and vision of the film alive throughout. On the downside, the style of filmmaking gets repetitive as the film progresses. Once one gets in tune with what the filmmakers are going for, the impact of what comes next gets diluted. This also makes the film feel a tad longer.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever is generic, but that is not something that should be held against it as it achieves what it set out to achieve. It is a light-hearted war film that does not rely on gore and tension to get its message across and not once does the film deviate from that. It is not a groundbreaking or revolutionary film that will change the course of cinema, or even leave an everlasting dent, but that’s okay. Not all films have to be so to be considered quality pieces.

A much gentler tone, coupled with light-hearted humor and the protagonist’s innocence, makes the film a crowd-pleaser. It works like a charm, while also devastating bit by bit. It’s not a feel-good film, but it’s one that highlights the latent presence of humanity, brotherhood, and well-meaning even in grim times of war.

still courtesy of Apple

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

visajshah

visajshah.medium.com/