Collette’s Review: The Greatest Beer Run Ever

The Greatest Beer Run Ever may sound like a title created by a frat house, but it’s a heartfelt story that just so happens to be based on actual events. I personally have never heard of this true story, and I was pleasantly surprised by it.

While his friends are fighting in the Vietnam war, Chickie Donohue (Zac Efron) decides he wants to do something nice for them. To show his appreciation, he heads to Vietnam with a duffle bag full of beer, excited to hand deliver the brewskies to the troops. Chickie fully believes in the war but is in for a rude awakening as he heads toward the front lines. There he discovers the coverage he’s seeing on TV is different from reality.

Efron does a fantastic job with this character. He’s funny in all the right moments and tugs at your heart throughout the film. His cartoon-like attitude is charming to watch. I truly think this is one of his best performances.

The true story itself is incredible. You can almost predict how everything will play out, but that doesn’t impact your enjoyment. The film does a great job of taking you on this journey with Chickie. It does have a slow start and doesn’t pick up until halfway through. It almost feels like they forgot the run time and rushed the ending. Also, Russell Crowe was kind of thrown in there. I feel like his character could have had more to do instead of having 20 minutes of screen time running and taking pictures as a journalist.

The film highlights the importance of journalism and the horrors of war. Now more than ever, people are searching for truth. This film perfectly depicts how narratives can be skewed and the bravery that goes into telling a story and fighting on the front lines.

Is this movie okay to watch with your kids? While the film is rated R, there is nothing more than foul language and somewhat violent scenes.