"My name is Chickie Donohue. And I am not supposed to be in Vietnam."
The Greatest Beer Run Ever is an 2022 historical war comedy drama based on true events as depicted in the book of the same name by Joanna Mallow and John “Chickie” Donohue. It is directed by Peter Farrelly (Green Book) and stars Zac Efron, Russell Crowe, and Bill Murray.
Set 1967, the film follows Donohue, a Merchant Marine living in the working class neighborhood of Inwood in New York City. As Chickie and his neighbors deal with several of their loved ones fighting in The Vietnam War, as well as the rising antiwar demonstrations happening in the city, Chickie decides to set out on a bizarre, dangerous, and illegal mission: to bring beers to his neighborhood chums fighting in the war as a token of support and appreciation. The film was released on Apple TV+ on September 30, 2022.
Previews: Trailer
The Greatest Beer Run Ever includes examples of:
- The '60s: An alternate version of the page image poster confirms the state with the slogan “A taste of ‘67” on the beer can.
- Anger Born of Worry: This sums up Ricky's attitude towards Chickie when he arrives to deliver his beer. Ricky is pissed that Chickie has come all the way to Vietnam when he didn't need to and is putting himself at risk of being killed on the frontlines.
- Based on a True Story: Or as the trailer proclaims: “A REAL GUY ACTUALLY DID THIS”.
- Bittersweet Ending: Chickie succeeds in delivering beers to several of his friends (all of whom manage to return from the war safely), makes it back to New York, reconciles with his sister, and goes on to have a successful career in legislation for New York's tunnel builders union. At the same time, he's scarred from everything he witnessed, lost his faith in the US government, and has to live with the guilt that Tommy Minogue died in the war after he convinced him to enlist.
- Break the Cutie: Happens to Chickie over the course of the film as he comes face-to-face with the reality of the Vietnam War and the politics behind it.
- Brick Joke: While having dinner with his family, Mr. Donohue tells Chickie that Tommy Collins' father gave him money for Chickie to give to Tommy to cover his poker debt. Later on, when Chickie is drinking with Tommy and his squad, Chickie reveals the money and the guy Tommy owes the money to takes it before Chickie gives it to Tommy.
- Cool Old Guy: The Colonel is the owner and bartender at Doc Fiddler's and a World War II veteran who dispenses wisdom to his customers.
- Conscience Makes You Go Back: After Chickie makes his promise at the bar, he gets cold feet and tries to back out the next day. However, after his friends' parents start bringing him things to give to them in Vietnam, Chickie decides he can't disappoint them and follows through on it.
- Contrived Coincidence:
- Chickie's merchant ship just happens to dock right by where his friend Tommy Collins is stationed and he meets him mere moments after starting his search.
- While on a road in the middle of the jungle on the run from the CIA, Chickie is found by a military jeep that his friend Kevin McLoone is riding.
- Chickie is in Vietnam for 72 hours, and that just happens to be in the middle of the Tet Offensive.
- Cruel to Be Kind: Arthur Coates explains to Chickie that he and the other journalists are aware of the effect their negative press on the war has on the troops' morale. However, showing the American public how bad things are is the only way they can put pressure on the politicians in Washington D.C. to end the conflict and prevent more Americans from being wounded and killed in battle.
- Dead All Along: Bobby reveals to Chickie that Tommy Minogue was confirmed killed in action long before Chickie arrived in Vietnam or the news reached Inwood.
- Dumbass Has a Point: While Chickie has a very naive view of the war at the beginning, he rightfully tells Christine that there's a big difference between protesting to campaign for the government to end the war and marching with people who are calling the troops "baby killers". Doing the latter is very disrespectful to their friends and neighbors and undermines her claim that her motivation is to get them home safe.
- Eagleland: Chickie is a mixture. He starts off as a Type 1, but winds up becoming a Type 3 after everything he witnesses in Vietnam.Chickie: Look, I know our granddads and our dads, they went over to Europe to save the world. And I would put today's guys up there with them any day. And I mean any day... But I'm not so sure we're saving the world this time.
- Foregone Conclusion: Since the film is based on Chickie Donohue's memoir, it's obvious to viewers that he's going to survive and make it back to the States.
- When "Oklahoma" tells Chickie that it's Tet you know it's going to be a bad night.
- When "Oklahoma" tells Chickie that it's Tet
- Foreshadowing: Kevin McLoone gives Chickie his condolences on what happened to Tommy Minogue, to which Chickie points out there's still a chance he'll turn up alive. For a moment, it looks like Kevin is about to say something but doesn't. When Bobby later confirms to Chickie that Tommy was killed and not just MIA, it becomes clear that Kevin knew as well but that he didn't have the heart to break the news to Chickie.
- From Bad to Worse: While at a wake for their friend Johnny Knopf who was killed in action, Chickie and his friends learn their friend Tommy Minogue has gone MIA.
- Gallows Humor: Chickie's friend Bobby provides some after Chickie finds him getting his wounds treated in the aid station after his base is bombed.Bobby: Really? They had to flatten my entire base to get you to visit me?
- Gut Punch: Chickie finding "Oklahoma" dead on the street during the Tet Offensive is absolutely gut-wrenching. Particularly since a scene just a few minutes prior was very heartwarming and seemed like the setup to a Brick Joke or The Stinger.
- Idiot Hero: Chickie, to the point that several other characters even call him one. As admirable as his mission is, it's clear that he didn't think through all of the potential risks of going into a war zone:Sgt. Perez: (after handing Chickie a sidearm) If it looks like [the Viet Cong] are going to take you prisoner, shoot yourself or they'll torture you for info.
Chickie: For info? Hold on, I don't have any info.
Sgt. Perez: They don't know that, asshole! - Impersonating an Officer: Not intentionally, but because Chickie is dressed in civilian clothes as he makes his way through Vietnam, several military officers mistake him for a CIA agent on a classified assignment. Thus, they don't raise any objections when he asks them for help finding his friends.
- Know When to Fold Them: Chickie's friend Tommy Collins tries to convince him to abandon his quest, pointing out it was just dumb luck Tommy happened to be stationed right by where the merchant ship docked and trying to find the others will just get him killed.
- Mood Whiplash:
- Chickie's humorous argument with his Dad at dinner is suddenly interrupted by his sister Christine tearfully arriving home to inform the family their neighbor Johnny Knopf was killed in Vietnam.
- The scene where Chickie drinks with Tommy Collins and his squad starts off very light-hearted and heartwarming. Then one of their superior officers barges in demanding to know what's going on and everyone except Chickie snaps to attention, making the reality that these guys are in the middle of a war apparent.
- My Country, Right or Wrong: Chickie has this attitude and resents the antiwar demonstrators for their actions. He changes his tune after he gets to Vietnam and sees what's really going on, causing him to realize how the government is taking advantage of working-class Americans for their political agenda.
- "Not Making This Up" Disclaimer: The film's trailers went out of their way to make it clear to viewers that the film really is Based on a True Story.
- "Not So Different" Remark: Arthur directs Chickie to a makeshift memorial created in the hotel bar that honors all of the journalists who have been killed while reporting on the war, showing that they've been suffering over here just like his friends and neighbors.
- Oh, Crap!: The reactions of the reporters at the hotel when Chickie shows them proof that he made it up to LZ Jane and realize he's telling them the truth about the ceasefire being a lie.
- Perspective Reversal: When Chickie first meets the reporters at the Hotel Caravalle, they don't buy any of the reports Lyndon B. Johnson gives on TV, while Chickie naively defends the President. Later on, when they talk about the Lunar New Year ceasefire and express optimism that it may lead to an end to the conflict, Chickie, who has witnessed the beginning of the Tet Offensive firsthand, bitterly informs them that the fighting is still happening and the war is far from over.
- Product Delivery Ordeal: Chickie goes onto a dangerous (and illegal) trip to bring a duffel bag full of Pabst Blue Ribbon to his neighborhood chums fighting in The Vietnam War as a token of support and appreciation. While he succeeds in delivering them to those who were still alive and makes it back to New York in one piece, in the whole process he remains scarred from everything he witnessed (including a gut-wrenching scene where he finds "Oklahoma" dead on the street during the Tet Offensive), making him lose faith in the US government.
- Product Placement: As shown on the poster, the brand of beer Chickie brings with him to Vietnam is Pabst Blue Ribbon.
- Shotgun Wedding: Chickie's parents had one. They deny it, but Chickie points out his older brother was born only five months after their wedding date.
- Threat Backfire: In the beginning of the film, Chickie's father is exasperated with him being lazy at their home while on leave and threatens to make him get his own place. It fails because 1)Chickie is perfectly willing to move out and 2)his mother won't allow it since he's out at sea so often.
- Too Dumb to Live: Inverted. When Chickie leaves Ricky to continue his mission, Sgt. Perez reassures Ricky that Chickie will be fine because he's "a guy who's too dumb to get killed."
- Well-Trained, but Inexperienced: Chickie is a military veteran who served in the Marine Corps prior to the events of the film and currently works as a Merchant Marine. However, he was stationed stateside during his service and has never seen any combat, leaving him unprepared for the horrors of the battlefields of Vietnam.
- What the Hell, Hero?:
- Tommy Collins berates his squadmates for trying to help Chickie map out a route to find the other Inwood guys in the battlefields, pointing out they're likely going to get him killed.
- When Chickie surprises his friend Ricky Duggan with the beer, Ricky is pissed and chews him out for coming to an active war zone just to give him a beer. In fact, Ricky just barely avoided gunfire to make it to the outpost and could have easily been killed.
- You Are Too Late: After Chickie links up with Ricky Duggan, Ricky informs him that Richie Reynolds was killed just a few days before Chickie's arrival, much to Chickie's dismay. Before departing, he gives Ricky the items that were meant for Richie so that at least someone will use them.
- You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me!: All of Chickie's friends have this reaction when they encounter him and he explains why he's in Vietnam.
