Redwarmin
This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place
Phonearl
Good start, but then it gets ruined
AshUnow
This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.
Scott LeBrun
Comedy legends Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis bring their lovable, beer-guzzling, very Canadian dolts to the big screen in this very funny vehicle for Bob & Doug. They were riding high after the success of the characters on the 'SCTV' show and the Great White North album, and devised this very amusing script, which they devised with future director Steve De Jarnatt ("Cherry 2000", "Miracle Mile"), a fairly subtle goof on "Hamlet", of all things. Ultimately, they decided on directing the movie themselves.Bob & Doug manage to get jobs at Elsinore brewery, and don't let their lack of wits stop them from trying to save the day when diabolical brewmeister Smith (the great Max von Sydow, in the mightiest role of his career) intends to manipulate scores of beer drinkers by putting a drug in the brew. They encounter former hockey player Jean LaRose (Canadian character actor Angus MacInnes, who played Gold Leader in "Star Wars"), who falls in love with Pam Elsinore (lovely Lynne Griffin of "Black Christmas" fame), the young lady who's legally inherited the brewery.Yes, "Strange Brew" does lag at times, but the good news is that there is always another inspired bit of lunacy around the corner, as Thomas and Moranis gleefully leave reality FAR behind and turn the adventures of Bob & Doug into a sort of live action cartoon. In addition to von Sydow, they also enlisted the services of another legend, voice-over artist Mel Blanc, who provides the voice of Bob & Doug's dad. The excellent Paul Dooley ("Breaking Away") rounds out the main players as Pam's nefarious but bumbling uncle Claude.This picture really is a beauty, eh. You can't get more Canadian than having hockey, toques, beer, back bacon, and a dog named Hosehead in your story. It gets off to a wonderful start by putting a fresh spin on MGM's famous logo sequence, and having Bob & Doug premiere their micro budget end of the world saga in a theatre to a flurry of negative responses. The effects are often quite cheesy, but in a largely harmless lark like this, that hardly matters.Are you still reading this, hosehead? Take off! Go see the movie, eh.Eight out of 10.
classicsoncall
Here's a film I put into a category for achieving the lowest common denominator to appeal to it's many fans. I'd never seen SCTV's 'Great White North' segments but Bob and Doug McKenzie's fame became so ubiquitous back in the Eighties it was hard to escape their presence. Without meaning any offense to the principal players, I think their names could be aptly parodied as Rick Moronic and Dave Dumbass. There's actually some funny stuff going on in the picture but much of it comes across as forced, and I would have appreciated a story with more subtle humor. I can't imagine Max von Sydow needing a paycheck to appear here but I guess even some of the greats are allowed their career mistakes. But giving the movie credit where credit is due, there was no profanity or nudity in the picture, which only leads one to consider - how did that happen?
jts0405
The comedic pairing of Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas really deliver in this comedy based on a sketch from SCTV. The humor may seem a little strange, but the movie really picks up as soon as they get their jobs at the brewery. The Canadian humor may not be fit for some people, but honestly you don't even notice it because you are consistently laughing at this movie. The plot may not seem like it's very high brow, but the laughs keep coming that you really don't care about the key plot points. So check out Strange Brew, because it was truly a fitting comedy for it's time. Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas are truly a comedic duo to see perform.
JoeB131
Yes, there are a lot of Hamlet references, as the brewery is called "Elsinore" and the evil villain is "Uncle Claude". There's even a visit by a ghost. However, please don't expect this to be anywhere near Shakespeare, you hosers.So Bob and Doub MacKenzie try to get free beer using the Mouse in a bottle trick (a classic bit from their SCTV skits) and get jobs after they save the rightful owner of Elisnore brewery, Pam. Unfortunately, her evil Uncle Claude is conspiring with Brewmeister Smith (an unenthusiastic performance by Max von Sydow) to brainwash people by feeding them beer, and controlling them with a hockey stadium organ.What follows are some fairly funny skits, but it is the performance of Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis who carry this movie.
