Film Snail

7.6

The Greatest Beer Run Ever

R·2022·126m

Drama

Comedy

War

Drama

Comedy

War

Summary

Chickie wants to support his friends fighting in Vietnam, so he does something wild—personally bring them American beer. What starts as a well-meaning journey quickly changes Chickie’s life and perspective. Based on a true story.

Cast

Zac Efron

John 'Chickie' Donohue

Russell Crowe

Arthur Coates

Kyle Allen

Bobby Pappas

Bill Murray

The Colonel

Jake Picking

Rick Duggan

Will Ropp

Kevin McLoone

Archie Renaux

Tom Collins

Ruby Ashbourne Serkis

Christine

Will Hochman

Tommy Minogue

Christopher Reed Brown

Noodle

Joe Adler

Red

MacGregor Arney

Brendan

Hal Cumpston

Leary

Kristin Carey

Mrs. Minogue

Paul Adelstein

Mr. Donohue

Matt Cook

Lt. Habershaw

Shirleyann Kaladjian

Mrs. Donohue

Kevin Tran

Hieu 'Oklahoma'

Bob Farrelly

Baby-Face

Branden Lindsay

Jimmy Burns

Omari K. Chancellor

Erickson

Carlos Arroyo

Sgt. Major Perez

Kelvin Delgado

Gines

Thomas Jordan

Leasco

Phil Anthony Edwards

Duvall

Thai-Hoa Le

Bartender Hien

Deanna Russo

Correspondent Woelfel

James Laver

Correspondent Lewis

Paul Sloan

CIA Agent

Nguyen Viet Anh

ARVN Interpreter

Alex Huynh

Prisoner

Kevin J. Flynn

Seafarers Union Clerk

Sean Gildea

Drake Captain Beauchene

Goya Robles

Almeida

Bradley M. Hayes

Saigon MP

Brian Jarvis

Major Breuer

Mike Hatton

Captain Dyer

Mike Gray

Lt. Fusco

Thomas Ronca

Cpl. Warner

Steve Sweeney

Lt. Commander Washburn

Josefina Grajo Villanueva

Embassy Bureaucrat

Jackie Flynn

Major Flynn

James Fahselt

Mason

Anabel Graetz

Nanny

Ngo Hoang Long

Caravelle Porter

Lisa Rothschiller

Mrs. Collins

John Garrett Mahlmeister

LZ Jane Radio Operator

Michael Grant Selby

Jeep Soldier Soucy

Terry Mullany

Jeep Soldier Hardcastle

Alex Winters

Long Binh Private

Malik Tyshawn Louis

Long Binh Fireman

Mata Toure

Medic Molloy

Finn Gesner

Cool Breeze

Apple Farrelly

Protester #1

Rory Gesner

Protester #2

Carlie Mantilla

Protester #3

Alicia Jordan

Protester #4

Tuck Gesner

Protester #5

Henry Mortensen

Baby Killer Protester

Mariann Farrelly

Counter-Protester

Andrew Small

Parish Priest

J.B. Rogers

Drake First Mate

Simeon Drew Young

Military Truck Driver

Mav Kang

Helicopter Pilot Miosky

Le Minh Phuc

Saigon Cab Driver

Chananticha Chaipa

Little Girl

Nguyen Thi Thanh Thao

Vietnamese Mother

Duran Russell

Embassy Soldier

Pedro Correa

PFC William Sebast

Jake Mooney

SPC Charles Daniels

Nguyen Van Vo

South Vietnam Field Force Officer

Andrew J. Muscato

Long Binh Gate Guard

Thanawat Jhongfakklang

Grieving Saigon Father

Alexander Winters

Long Binh Private

Kelsea Edgerly

Protester (uncredited)

Dennis W. Hall

Mr. Minogue (uncredited)

Phil Korz

Bar Patron (uncredited)

Caroline Plyler

Minogue Friend (uncredited)

Mark Rome

Protester (uncredited)

Ron Smoorenburg

Soldier (uncredited)

Crew

Director, Screenplay

Peter Farrelly

Novel

Joanna Molloy

Novel

John Donohue

Screenplay

Pete Jones

Screenplay

Brian Hayes Currie

Reviews

Geronimo1967

October 8, 2022

This tells the true story of Chickie Donohue (Zac Efron) who decided that he was fed up hearing the continuing reports of bad news from the Vietnam war, and so decided to travel to the war zone - as a civilian - and take the serving friends from his neighbourhood some beer! Using a combination of guile and brass neck, he is soon in situ, where he encounters the cynical journalist Arthur Coates (Russell Crowe) before embarking on his trek to deliver his beer. If it were not fact, it would really beggar belief this - the hand that serendipity plays in ensuring not just his safety, but the manner in which he blags his way around this tortured land, is sometimes just a little too difficult to believe. Efron is never going to be a good versatile actor, but to give him his due he delivers well enough here with a decent script and once we enter the final phase that involves more of a contribution from Crowe, the film picks up giving us some indication of just how perilous life was for those facing the Viet Cong's stealthy advance. It's not without it's humour and it illustrates amusingly just how afraid everyone was of falling foul of the CIA - a confusion which he was able to take advantage of on a regular basis! It's a tale of camaraderie in it's truest form, and though not really a cinema film, is at the better end of the Apple productions we have seen so far. It is half an hour too long - it takes way too long to get going, but once we are in Asia, it's a watchable enough drama.