‘The Greatest Beer Run Ever’ movie review: A charming Zac Efron stars in heartwarming anti-war drama
In its two-hour runtime, the drama makes you chuckle and cry in equal measure, and all credits go to the writers for the characterisation of the protagonist, and to Zac Efron and Russell Crowe’s performances
(Originally published in The Hindu on September 30, 2022)
Most human endeavours that go against the social norms of a particular generation are often said to be backed by a certain madness that comes out of desperation. But why madness? Imagine that you are a soldier in a distant foreign land, fighting death day in and out, and then — all of a sudden — you find your sweet neighbour from home, who has travelled thousands of miles, step onto the battlefield and give you a can of beer. ‘Confusing’ or ‘baffling’ won’t quite cut it to express what you feel. It’s madness.
Filmmaker Peter Farrelly’s The Greatest Beer Run Ever tells the real-life story of John “Chickie” Donohue (played by a delightful Zac Efron), who did just that. During the Vietnam War, in 1968, this 20-something from New York travelled to the battleground to deliver cans of beer to his friends serving there. There is a race against time as well, since Chickie has to finish his mission in 72 hours to catch his ride back home. The film begins with Chickie caught in a chaotic social climate, that persisted in the US, with anti-war sentiments growing in tandem alongside the increasing number of war casualties.
Given how unique the storyline sounds, the obvious route the screenplay could have taken would have been to set up the premise, and then elevate the drama in multiple instances. Surprisingly, all of these obvious moments are subdued and the ones in between such moments are spelt out loud. For instance, after he chooses to go to Vietnam, Chickie seems a bit hesitant about his decision, but news spreads like wildfire in the neighbourhood, and he is met by personal requests from families of soldiers stationed in some of the most remote and turbulent war zones there. Hence, spelling such moments out loud keeps the film grounded, and reminds us that this isn’t just any trivial beer run started by a random man’s whims. Another scene with Bill Murray (The Colonel) follows a similar treatment.
This subtle handling of critical points and the innate bizarreness of the situation also gives space for….