Beerfest
Posted by Brian C. Gibson (brian@filmschoolrejects.com) on August 25, 2006
Release Date: August 25th, 2006
Ever wondered what would happen if drunken college kids wrote a screenplay and directed a film starring all of their friends? Well Jay Chandrasekhar and friends, also known as Broken Lizard, have captured the pure joy and hilarity that ensues while drinking with friends and brought us the freshest brewed comedy of the year.
When their great grandmother asks them to return their grandfather’s ashes to the old country, Jan (Paul Soter)and Todd(Erik Stolhanske) Wolfhouse jump at the opportunity. It doesn’t hurt that the trip would take them to Germany during Oktoberfest. Jan and Todd are taken deep into Germany’s underworld to find their grandfather’s final resting place. What Jan and Todd find is a secret competition in which all of the world’s greatest beer gamers and beer drinkers compete for glory: Beerfest.
Jan and Todd discover that teams from all over the world compete in Beerfest, but not the United States. They encounter even more disappointment when their cousins, who happen to be the reigning champion German drinking team, banish them from Beerfest and publicly humiliate them by exposing their family’s dishonorable past. They decide that the only way to defend the honor of their family and their country is to form a drinking team and enter Beerfest.
After hitting the big-time with their second film, Supertroopers, the comedy troupe Broken Lizard set out on their third film, Club Dread, and struck out. As it goes in Hollywood though, you have a hit and then you miss…and then you do something to pay the bills: The Dukes of Hazzard. Fresh off some financial success, and successfully introducing the world to Jessica Simpson’s breasts, the boys from Broken Lizard bring us another amazing comedy inspired by their frat days. If you have ever drank beer in excess, then I promise that you will love this film. Like any good comedy, Beerfest is filled with perfectly timed gutbusting one-liners and drunken hijinks.
While the film will prove to be a favorite amongst anyone who knows what Natty Light is or has a fake I.D., Beerfest is not for everyone. Sometimes a bit cheesy but always true to the spirit of the film, Beerfest is something that I can promise will become not only someone’s favorite movie, but also their favorite party event. Make sure to heed the disclaimer that warns the audience before the film: If you drink this much – YOU WILL DIE!
Final Grade: B+
The Upside: Comedy on tap. The freshest brewed comedy of the year. I can’t wait for the DVD.
The Downside: This isn’t a film your parents would like, unless your parents can drink you under the table.
On the Side: Director Jay Chandrasekhar credits Monty Python as “the reason we [Broken Lizard] exist.”
Technorati Tags: Beer, Drinking, Octoberfest, Germany, Drinkning Games, Broken Lizard, Comedy, Funny, College Humor
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