BEERFEST

United States, 2006
U.S. Release Date: 8/25/2006
Runtime: 110 min.
MPAA Classification: R
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Cast: Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, Erik Stolhanske, Jurgen Prochnow, Cameron Scher, Will Forte, Cloris Leachman

Director: Jay Chandrasekhar
Screenplay: Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter & Erik Stolhanske
Cinematography: Frank G. DeMarco
Original Score: Nathan Barr
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

Two American brothers (Soter & Stolhanske) fly over to Oktoberfest in Germany to bury their grandfather’s remains. They come upon a secret, ancient beer-drinking series of games between beer-guzzling athletes from around the world, known simply as “Beerfest”.

After they are absolutely humiliated by team Germany, led by their very evil distant cousin (Prochnow), the boys swear to assemble and train the best beer drinkers that America has to offer. This includes “Landfill” (Heffernan), an obese former beer factory worker, former “quarters” and beer pong master player Barry (Chandrasekhar) who unfortunately became a male prostitute working for nickels, and Professor Steve “Fink” Finklestein, a Jew that knows everything about the science of beer itself.

Can the Americans overcome their bad rep in Europe for weak brews and take home the cup?

Comedy troupe Broken Lizard might actually be the current American masters of frat-house humor. With “Super Troopers,” they created a cookie-cut plot picture with lots of great memorable comedic skits and an instant college campus favorite. “Club Dread” perhaps only clicks very well to fans and long-time viewers of the campy slasher horror movies of the 1980s (like yours truly), but it did prove that the boys can play beyond the archetypes they established with “Troopers”.

With “Beerfest,” Broken Lizard might have quietly taken supremacy of sincerely organic, boys going out on the town mentality-producing comedy away from the overrated “Frat Pack” of Hollywood. While “The Break-Up,” “Nacho Libre,” and “Talladega Nights” continue to score at the box-office, neither are memorable nor display as well the great talent displayed by the “Frat Pack” from many years ago and have comfortably gone into career auto pilot. What was the last time that you saw Ben Stiller not play Ben Stiller? Jack Black anyone?

I believe the key ingredient for why “Beerfest” drinks so well is that because of the natural flow of the comedy shtick of Broken Lizard, we actually care what happens to the American squad, instead of half-heartedly following like a sheep, a severe problem I had with “Old School”. The Germans aren’t simply the baddies to be hated because the screenplay said so, but from the movie’s first act, we really want the Yankee boys to cook some kraut tail.

Better yet, from the instant that the brothers decide to assemble the Dream Team, the audience is excited and is drawn into the adventure.

This is heresy, but I compare this successful emotional manipulation to that of “Animal House.” We hate the Omegas, we cheer for Delta House, and we definitely get energized by John Belushi’s immortal rally speech. “Beerfest” isn’t that successful, but definitely the Broken Lizard gang knows their origins of influence. This hypothesis of mine is aided by a surprising, yet hilarious, cameo from a past alumnus of John Landhis that I won’t dare spoil for the virgin viewers.

Obviously with more studio and financial support for their fourth feature film, Broken Lizard is able to get some cool actors involved with “Beerfest”. The great German actor Prochnow plays tongue and cheek and appears to have fun with the American comics and their over-the-top Germanic accents, for which the idea alone is humorous (to put it bluntly in how bizarre this is, imagine if Denzel Washington acted in a film with several “blackfaces”). Cloris Leachman and even UPN exile Mo’Nique make some good impressions as well.

As part of a new contract signed with Warner Brothers, lets hope the boys of Broken Lizard continue their hit streak and eventually escape their continuing pattern of low/modest box-office followed by great numbers on DVD. Why do the American people go in droves to see has-been comic stars and very weak vehicles, yet ignore the good stuff in theaters?

Yeah, I’m talking about you, Mr. Adam Sandler. You're on my fecal list.

Final Film Rating - ***1/2

I appreciate the review, RRA. I'm hearing a lot of mixed feelings about it so it was good to get yours. Ever since I heard it announced I've been looking forward to it though the mixed reviews have been disheartening.

Turi, thanks...I really appreciate that.

As for the mixed reviews, I don't get these same morons that pay to see TALLEDEGA NIGHTS or Ben Stiller's last handful of pictures and enjoy it, yet hate BEERFEST.

Of course, sometimes reading negative reviews, you know the person's taste and thought matrix. I remember USA TODAY trashing BATMAN BEGINS for being "too serious"...whatever the hell that means.

However, while the opening weekend was decent, if not as great as hoped, I'm sure BEERFEST will be a fucking winner on DVD, just like SUPER TROOPERS.

Hell, I need to review TROOPERS and DREAD as well. They deserve the love.

Unfortunately, it appears that BEERFEST blacked out in theaters ultimately.

A damn fucking shame, since it was pretty damn funny.

"since then, I've been shitting pancakes"

Loved it. It took the second time of seeing the bar Schnitzengiggles to get it. I said it aloud then the others around me got it too.

Oh and the shitting pancakes thing was brilliant.

Glad to hear it, Turi.

What's your favorite scene?

Mine has to be when the boys sample "the greatest beer ever brewed":

"This is so good, I want to stick my Dick in it!"

"I want its dick in me!"

Favourite scene?

Anything with stereotypical British and Germans.

Landfill saying "We kicked your ass in WWII" to the British fellas.

There's plenty really and I'm already for a rewatch.

All great stuff, Turi.

With BEERFEST put on prohibition in theaters, looks like the $30-ish million project GREEK ROAD, which the Broken Lizard has been working on for years, has been shelved once again.

Instead, the BL boys might be slanted to WB Vintage, with less budgets. Thing is, WB Vintage is basically Warner Brothers' new "Direct to DVD" label, and considering that safe for SUPER TROOPERS, Lizard's movies don't exactly gross well in theaters(and even then, TROOPERS at best was modestly decent if nothing spectacular).

BEERFEST was $12 million, plus 3-5 millions in advertizing. Again, it'll do good on DVD.

Apparently, Lizard's next movie will be either AMBULANCE CHASERS(where the boys play competiting insurance-claim lawyers who go to war with each other for a new clien) or that reported SUPER TROOPERS prequel, set in the 1970s.

Either way, I'll be there when(if) their next picture comes out.

You know whats great about the Broken Lizard comedies? The characters are actually different. For every Ben Stiller comedy the credits should read as Vince Vaugh as Vince Vaughn, Ben Stiller as Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson as Owen Wilson, etc. They all deliver the same character in every movie.

DA, or for that matter, does anyone remember the last time when Jack Black didn't play Jack Black?

I would have to agree. All though I do kinda like Black because he is a jackass. And his comedy is not so deliberate or scripted. I almost feel like it is just more of his own personality.