This week in Harsh Light of Day, we turn to our frosty neighbors to the north. No, children, I'm not talking about Santa and his elves. I, of course, mean the snowy, backwards-yet-somehow-charming nation of Canada. More specifically, a film that reminds us all of Canada's two main exports: beer and comedy.

Yes, I'm talking about Strange Brew.

For those of you who've never seen it (I'm looking at YOU, women and people under 30), Strange Brew is an adaptation of a skit created by Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis on Canada's funnier, slightly more surreal version of SNL, SCTV.

The plot should be familiar to anyone who was forced to read Hamlet in high school - a brewery heiress tries to stop her uncle from forcing her out of the business with the help of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (or in this case, Bob & Doug). Now (and I'm noticing a trend in the movies I'm reviewing), the plot takes a bit of a backseat to the portrayal of Bob and Doug McKenzie - two hicks from somewhere in the Great White North (okay, just outside Toronto) who spend most of the movie drinking beer, searching for beer, and talking about beer. Well, beer and backbacon/toques/hockey/beauty, eh?

Now, it's no real shock that I love this film. Yes, it's kind of dumb. Yes, the plot's pretty weak (stupid Shakespeare! Write more better!) in places. Yes, it's pretty low-budget. But! It's a movie about beer and man-child retardation, two main staples of the male comedic diet. Not to mention it's as quoteworthy as Pulp Fiction (and not nearly as worn out):



If you've never seen Strange Brew, I can't recommend it enough. If it's been a while, then I suggest cracking open a few cold ones, getting some backbacon, and tossing it into one of those new record players that has the turntable on its side, eh?

Beauty, Clark.

PS- make sure you ask lil_tuffy about his Strange Brew story.



MisterSatan did extensive research for this article, including watching Strange Brew in 3-B: three beers, and it looks pretty good, eh?