The Greatest Beer Run Ever is an easy-to-digest movie set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War. Based on the 2017 novel of the same name, the story refuses to center on the war itself, and instead, focuses on the real-life exploits of John "Chickie" Donohue (played by Zac Efron in his prime) and his gag mission to deliver beer to troops in Vietnam. Through the movie’s 126-minute run time, Chickie learns one big lesson: War is bad.

Before continuing, it is important to address the elephant in the room. This “war drama” (that reads more like a bro comedy) is Peter Farrelly’s follow-up to Green Book, which, despite winning an Academy Award for Best Picture, remains to be extremely polarizing. Many have stated that the 2018 drama, taking place in the 1960s and depicting the relationship between a Black pianist and his Italian-American driver, perpetuates the “white savior” narrative. Near the time of the movie's release, The Root wrote, "this film spoon-feeds racism to white people" and "the instances of racism in this film were mild compared to the actual racial terrorism black people experienced then and continue to experience," but concluded with, "I’m not here to make excuses, I actually enjoyed it." Indiewire also had some qualms and wrote, “the “Magical Negro” archetype is typically rooted in a white screenwriter’s ignorance of any genuine African-American experience" and added that there could’ve been a more “honest” movie made about the friendship.

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In The Greatest Beer Run Ever, which premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival on September 13, 2022, Farrelly makes it clear that he wants to remain in the realm of feel-good movies, but he has heard the criticisms of his successor, and rights some wrongs as he exposes the role that the United States played in the casualties of both US and Vietnamese citizens and soldiers. The well-rounded script refuses to glamorize these murders and also addresses the public relations conflict between the news media and the public, something which remains incredibly topical during this post-Trump age.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever Apple TV+

Viewers first meet Chickie at a New York bar, he is thick-mustached and lives at home with his pacifist sister and disappointed parents. The protagonist, while having lots of opinions on the war, isn’t interested in serving with the troops. Instead, he wants to knock back some beers (that he doesn’t pay for) and preach about his loyalty to the country and his pals overseas. After a drunken conversation, he decides that he knows how to best demonstrate his support: He's going to bring some American beers to troops in Vietnam. The Marine Corp veteran fills a duffel bag with cans of the frothy beverage and a few small items from members of the community and hops on a cargo ship headed towards the war-torn country.

As the movie continues, Chickie enters Vietnam, woos the international press and a few locals, and sneaks onto a few military bases, but what starts as a fun adventure for an overly-optimistic guy turns into a nightmare as he bares witness to the ugliness and mass murder that comes with war. The following hour plays out in a stomach-churning series of events with little reprieve as Chickie must navigate the war zone with the other soldiers and is ill-equipped to do so. Along the way, he loses friends, momentum, and a lot of hope.

While The Greatest Beer Run Ever doesn’t have much to say about war, it also refuses to showcase American propaganda—something that commonly infiltrates that genre. Along with an all-time best performance from Efron, the movie also stars Russell Crowe as war photographer Arthur Coates, who ends up striking a bond with Chickie, and Bill Murray as The Colonel, who slings beers at the NYC pub.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever

Efron plays Chickie with an endearing amount of innocence, one that is destined to get under the skin of many viewers. He is myopic and open-hearted. As one of his buddies puts it, he’s “got a good heart, but no brain.” (I mean, seriously, how dumb does a man have to be to think that delivering beer in an active war zone is a good idea? Even his enlisted friends were irritated upon his arrival.)

At the movie's start, Chickie possesses an inspiring innocence, one that is tragically killed by war and violence, and rightfully so, as in his situation he refuses to witness people being brutally slain and return home thinking, “Oh, this is okay." The shift in his outlook will leave viewers feeling envious of living in a world that’s not clouded by such despairs.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever Apple

The Greatest Beer Run Ever navigates its murky waters with careful precision and puts forth a story of laughter, tears, and righteous anger. The movie is equipped with a witty script and solid performances as it shows the evolution of an ignorant, not egotistical, man and his slow understanding of what war actually is.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever premieres September 30, 2022 on Apple TV+.

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