Mise en bière

I think this movie is really funny. Especially the part where all the guys get drunk at the bar. Its so funny because its true! This is the best work that Loretta Swit has done since A*F*T*E*R*M*A*S*H. Everyone should get a case of Norbeckers, and sit down and enjoy some "Beer"!

I caught this when it first came out, and considered it a lame-ass attempt at Brooks-style humor.

Just rented it for a buck yesterday, and it actually turned out to be halfway funny. Just getting to see some old *real* beer commercials was worth a point, and Loretta Swit showing off her withered dugs via various plunging necklines gained it another. Dick Shawn and A.J. Mars are always great (especially that final "sensitive" commercial). And seeing David Alan Grier get in some practice for his later "In Living Color" bits was keen.

I give it 6 out of 10.

"A. J. Norbecker" (Kenneth Mars) is the owner of a brewery which has seen its sales of "Norbecker" beer decrease to abysmal levels. He attributes this to the poor marketing firm that he has hired and gives them one more chance to revive his sales. The advertising firm turns to "B. D. Tucker" (Loretta Swit) in a desperate attempt to keep the million-dollar account. As luck would have it, she and a veteran director named "Buzz Beckermann" (Rip Torn) go to a seedy bar and witness a robbery attempt which is accidentally stopped by three men: "Elliott Morrison" (David Alan Grier), "Merle Draggett" (William Russ) and "Frankie Falcone" (Saul Stein) who are nursing their beers while mulling over their bad fortunes. Because she needs something fantastic for a commercial, she uses some creativity and casts all three as heroes who prevented the robbery because it interfered with their drinking Norbecker Beer. This causes a sensation within the beer drinking world which feeds on itself and rapidly takes a life of its own. At any rate, the humor is okay but there is some sexual innuendo involved as well as some politically incorrect jabs at certain groups. Overall, the acting is adequate except for Loretta Swit who looks nice and probably gives a better-than-average performance. An average comedy all things considered.

An advertising firm, desperate to keep an account from a financially-ailing brewery, concocts a macho ad campaign centering on three losers who inadvertently prevent a robbery at a bar.

There is much to be said about the world of advertising, especially with beer. It could be parodied and satirized, and they made a solid attempt at it here. Although now thirty years old, it is interesting to see that the ideas depicted in this film have not really changed.

I loved the little kid with the ghetto blaster -- it is so 1980s! And then his father saying, "I have worked my whole life to keep big radios off your shoulders." This works well with the scenes not much later with David Alan Grier trying to be stereotypically black. Humor that is racial without being racist always makes me smile, and I think they nailed it.

Oh, and then there is Rip Torn. While he does not get as much screen time as he should -- and is not as weird here as he is in such films as "Dodgeball" -- you cannot go wrong with him showing up!

I recently learned of the classic that is 'Beer'. The day I was born was when this movie was released in theatres...and up until about 2 months ago, I never even knew this movie existed. It's funny as hell. Rip Torn alone makes this movie worth watching. A nice little cast, an interesting story and loads of laughs await you when you watch 'Beer'.

Best part is when David Alan Grier tries to be 'black enough' to his son. It cracks me up every time I see that part. Forget about this review...go rent the movie or buy it on video. Well worth the money.