(2006)
2.5
Jason Buchanan
The Broken Lizard troupe returns to tap the box office for another round of substance-soaked fun, and the results are endearingly juvenile in this beer-chugging chuckler that pits good old American innovation against time-honored Teutonic drinking endurance with occasionally uneven, but often hilarious, results. In a time when the R-rated comedy is making a strong comeback, the Broken Lizards have managed to capture all the light-hearted raunchiness of the late '70s and early '80s with relative ease. This is straight-up comedy, pure and simple -- no romantic side-plots, no dramatic developments, and no need for anything except the most threadbare of plots. Beerfest is the kind of film that exists solely to make the viewer laugh, and it achieves its goal with an charmingly reckless sense of politically incorrect zeal. Though pacing has never been the troupe's strong point (chugging does occasionally slow to a sip when the Lizards shift gears to keep the story moving), the functional laughs that populate the scenes bridging the gap between gags do serve well to keep the viewer in good spirits until the next big set up -- which is never too far away. As a result, however, Beerfest does have a bit too much head to qualify as a true comedy classic despite inspired moments of hops-soaked insanity, making the film both a fun night at the flicks for good friends and a surefire hit on home video -- where the best jokes are sure to be repeatedly enjoyed with a few six packs and a group of good friends.
Beerfest on AllMovie
Beerfest (2006)
