The Fest

Doggg and Tak's dreams come true when they travel to Munich for the Oktoberfest. The two best friends start their adventure with joy and enthusiasm. But at the entrance to endless fun and drunken revelry, Doggg struggles with his intentions to stay sober so he can prove to his wife that he's not an alcoholic. While one tempting mug of beer after another passes Doggg's thirsty eyes, Tak enjoys getting drunker and drunker. Finally, the moment of truth arrives when Doggg's willpower is put to the test.

Even though the topic of a struggling alcoholic is quite serious, "The Fest" manages to portray it in a very humorous way. Though the overall acting isn't quite Oscar-worthy and the plot clearly lacks any depth and is somewhat dumbed down, there are many ways to enjoy this goofy comedy. The main attraction is the two loveable protagonists who are refreshingly full of energy and foolishness. It keeps you riveted to the screen, wondering what silly encounters and dialogues they'll have next. While the humour's partly so stupid it's funny, there are some quick-witted disputes in between that will make you grin.

This is a good film and I enjoyed watching this short. However, it must be mentioned that the premise is just insane. Here it is: A guy's wife is fed up with his drinking, so she's laid down the law--any more drinking and the relationship is finished. However, just after this he goes on vacation with his friend to, of all places, Oktoberfest in Munich. Of all the places in the world he could go, I challenge you to find a worse place--especially since without alcohol, this sort of crowd could be rather boring AND almost impossible for a man with a drinking problem. Why they just didn't just go visit the sites around Munich I don't know and it's an obvious flaw with the film.

Still, despite the major plot problem, the film works well--particularly when you consider that much of it was shot on the sly. In a "guerilla-style" film, you don't let others know they are in a film and you use natural settings for the movie. There are plenty of cute jokes and it is interesting to see the hubbub of the festival.