Let's be realistic.

A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

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?

There's no way you can describe the vibe of "SCTV" (TV series, 1977-84) to anyone who wasn't in on it to start with. It's like trying to describe how you felt when you saw the original cast of "Saturday Night Live." However, for the pop-culture-history-impaired, "SCTV" was set at an imaginary TV station that allowed for wacko "local" characters as well as dead-on parodies of any major film or TV show you've ever seen. Since the show was produced in Canada, Canadian TV decided they needed two minutes of Canadian content each week. Thus were born Bob and Doug MacKenzie (Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas), two toque-wearing siblings who blathered on about the virtues of beer and back bacon."Bob and Doug Mackenzie" were like "SNL's" "Wayne's World" in the early '90s. The first time I saw them, I completely did not get them. After that, I couldn't wait for their next appearance.All that is by way of saying that "Strange Brew" is about as funny a movie version of the Mackenzie Bros. sketches as you could ask for. The movie begins predictably (and hilariously) with Bob and Doug trying and failing miserably to move their "Great White North" TV segment into feature films. (The moment where Doug does the "movie theme" kills me every time.) From there, the movie goes on to a half-baked plot about the brothers uncovering espionage at the local brewery (run by Paul Dooley and Ingmar Bergman veteran Max von Sydow, neither of whom seems to have any idea how they got into this movie). Basically, it plays like a Cheech & Chong movie for the '80s, with beer taking the place of illicit drugs.That said, it manages to come up with a fair number of laughs, as when the Mackenzies take brief digs at "Star Wars," or when their dog Hosehead unexpectedly saves the day at movie's end.If you're unfamiliar with the Mackenzie milieu, the DVD of the movie will help you out. It has an old "SCTV" Mackenzie sketch, as well as a brief but funny animated version of the brothers.Great comedy can never be properly explained to the uninitiated. On that basis, "Strange Brew" is a classic.

In the dictionary under "cult classic" there should definitely be a picture of the poster for this movie! The Adventures of Bob and Doug McKenzie aka "Strange Brew" is still hilarious to this day, Max Von Sydow is fantastic as the lunatic brew master who wants to add mind control drugs to his beer in order to take over the entire world. Bob and Doug are of course hilarious as their hoser characters in every scene they are in, and all of the acting and jokes are fantastic.I love this movie and could watch it a hundred times, I recommend it if you are looking for a good laugh (but obviously not too much thinking, eh!)

This is one of the greatest movies ever made, bottom line. Steange Brew is one of the few true slapstick comedies made in a long time. The plot really isn't important. It's so far-fetched, it works hand in hand with the movie.This film has some of the best one liners, sight gags, and even features the late great Mel Blanc as the voice of Bob and Doug's father. How can you not love a dog that drinks beer, and suddenly gets the ability to fly. What asylum has it's own hockey rink, complete with overhead sound. Let's not forget that the hockey players all wear outfits that seem more fit for Battlestar Glactica then anything else.Also, this film features the great Max Von Sydow as brewmiester Smith, the Evil beer brewer. He tackles the role with such greatness, it shows that he's truly enjoying every single second of it.Now for the spoiler. The fire department can't reach the burning asylum in time, so it's up to ..... Bob to save the day by.... peeing on the building! You have to see the movie to see why that happens. And besides, him peeing isn't even the funniest parts of the scene. With his brother standing by his side while he pees (and commenting "beauty") the fire Marshal, impressed by the work, ever offers Bob a job with the fire department!!!! You've got to see this movie, hoser!