The Greatest Beer Run Ever is the perfect movie to put on while you sit back and relax with a drink on a Friday night.
If you are looking for the perfect at home streaming movie to enjoy while you sip on a cold one, Apple TV+ has you covered with The Greatest Beer Run Ever. However, if you are looking for much more than that, you might end up disappointed. This movie is a mediocre one. Would we recommend you pay to see it in theaters? Nope. But luckily it will be streaming for free to all those who have Apple TV+ on October 7th, and that is the best way to watch it.
Zac Efron stars as the charismatic yet underestimated Chickie Donohue. He has multiple friends from the neighborhood who went off to the Vietnam War and decides that he wants to show them they are appreciated, and the people at home support them. After witnessing the protests against the war, he feels the best way to do this is go and bring them a beer.
So that is exactly what he does. He packs a bag full of brewskis and heads for Vietnam, determined to make his way across the war zones to see his friends. What follows is a dramatic (and sometimes depressing) journey. This is all based on a true story, and thanks to Efron’s believable performance, it is never questioned. However, there are still some problems with the film.
The Greatest Beer Run Ever isn’t full of award winning performances. It has a lot of heart and a little bit of humor — honestly there are several laugh out loud lines that really hit, but a lot that are a miss and will cause viewers to do an eyeroll. The thing is, it isn’t a bad movie. It’s a decent, entertaining watch, that is perfect to put on while relaxing at home.
One of the biggest issues with this movie is that it really isn’t sure what genre it wants to be. It starts off as a pure comedy before turning into a straight up war drama. The longer it goes on, the more serious it becomes, almost feeling like a bait and switch.
Efron makes his character likeable enough, and even though he is a bit flaky it is easy to root for him. This is a noble cause after all. He ends up needing to see first hand what war is like, and is able to do that thanks to his journey through Vietnam. It is touching, emotional, and heartbreaking at times, but the problem lies in that it doesn’t feel like the same movie when we started. That was a comedy, this is anything but.
Not to mention, the accents are a mess. Chickie and his friends are supposed to be from New York, but the accents sound more like they are from Boston. In fact, if they hadn’t mentioned New York a bunch of times, we would have assumed it was taking place in Massachusetts. Being from Boston, we can confirm this without a doubt.
Still, there is a lot to enjoy about this movie as well. It tells an interesting story, and it is easy to become invested in Chickie pulling his beer run off. The supporting cast is wonderful — Oklahoma will become a fan favorite. Things feel intense, real, and raw at times. Other times there are some truly hilarious lines. While you might feel like you aren’t sure what type of film this is, it is entertaining nonetheless.
The Greatest Beer Run Ever isn’t perfect. But it has some great action sequences, laugh out loud jokes, and a near perfect lead performance from Efron (besides that accent). It won’t win any awards, but it will entertain on a Friday night as you sip on your own beer — what more could you ask for?
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
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About The Greatest Beer Run Ever
To show support for his neighborhood friends serving in Vietnam, Chickie Donohue (Zac Efron) decides to do something totally outrageous: travel to the frontline by himself to bring the soldiers a little piece of home — their favorite can of American beer.
However, what started as a well-meaning journey quickly turns into the adventure of a lifetime as Chickie confronts the reality of this controversial war and his reunions with his childhood buddies thrust him into the complexities and responsibilities of adulthood.
Based on an incredible true story, “The Greatest Beer Run Ever” is a heartfelt coming-of-age tale about friendship, loyalty and sacrifice.
The Greatest Beer Run Ever comes to Apple TV+ on October 7th.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for almost ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association, Hollywood Critics Association, and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.