robgcarson
One of the greatest movies of all time for comedy. So good I'm going to watch it again.
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.
SnoopyStyle
Brothers Doug (Dave Thomas) and Bob McKenzie (Rick Moranis) are the idiot Canadian presenters on the television show SCTV. They show a movie that they've made. It doesn't go well. They try the mouse-in-the-bottle scam to get free Elsinore beer. They rescue Pam Elsinore (Lynne Griffin) from a jam gate. The owner died and Pam is set to inherit the brewery upon turning 21. Claude Elsinore (Paul Dooley) married his brother's wife and took over the company. Claude tries to buy out Pam but she refuses. Pam hires the brothers to inspect for mice. Brewmeister Smith (Max von Sydow) is experimenting the new brew on lunatics from the neighboring asylum with disturbing results.The idiot brothers are hilarious and one of the best part of SCTV. The self-aware opening is fun. The rest of it is ridiculous idiocy. It needs some breaking down the 4th wall. This is for McKenzie brothers' fans and people who like their brand of silly. Von Sydow provides important acting power. It's likable fun.
Woodyanders
Lovable beer-swilling hosers Bob (likable Rick Moranis) and Doug McKenzie (the equally engaging Dave Thomas) have to stop the evil Brewmeister Smith (smoothly played with lip-smacking wicked relish by Max Von Sydow) from succeeding with his diabolical plan to take over the world with drugged mind-controlling beer. Writers/directors Thomas and Moranis amiably mine an amusing line in hysterically silly and harmless good-natured humor, with the best and most inspired jokes sweetly poking fun at movie clichés and conventions. Moreover, Thomas and Moranis display an utterly winning easy'n'breezy natural chemistry as our endearingly lunkheaded protagonists. The rest of the game cast has a ball with the zany material: Lynne Griffin contributes a charming turn as the bubbly, yet feisty Pam Elsinore, Paul Dooley does well as the smarmy Claude Elsinore, and Angus MacInnes makes a favorable impression as friendly and heroic hockey player Jean LaRose. Favorite gags: A lawyer beats up a bunch of pesky reporters with fancy karate moves and the McKenzie Brothers dog Hosehead flies to the rescue at the end. Charles Fox's dynamic score hits the spirited melodramatic spot. Steven Poster's sharp cinematography provides a neat polished look. An enjoyably dumb hoot.
AD
