Channel surfing, I came across a 2012 monster Movie running on Chiller called Grabbers. The teaser read, “An alcoholic, his girlfriend, and the town drunk fight off an uprising of blood sucking tentacled creatures by increasing their high blood alcohol content.” Sounding like an excuse for on-screen drunken stupidity, I thought about passing, especially if it would make alcoholism cute. I’ve seen the real monster of alcoholism, and it ain’t cuddly.
Still, it seemed wrong to write a blog called Fear with Beerand skip this movie, so I reluctantly decided to watch. Man, I’m glad I did. I enjoyed this movie from beginning to end.
I began with low, low expectations. One of the first elements to flash on screen was a logo for the Irish Film Board, making me laugh. While I realized I was stereotyping, I was now less skeptical. If anyone was going to pull off this premise, it would be an Irish filmmaker.
I began with low, low expectations. One of the first elements to flash on screen was a logo for the Irish Film Board, making me laugh. While I realized I was stereotyping, I was now less skeptical. If anyone was going to pull off this premise, it would be an Irish filmmaker.
Had I pre-planned to watch Grabbers, I would have coordinated an Irish beer, but this was impromptu so I had to choose from what I had on hand: a Polish porter or a Great Lakes Brewing Company’s Oktoberfest, a seasonal offering from one of my all time favorite breweries (more on them later). I opted for the delicious Great Lakes. While a märzen-style lager seems removed from Ireland, I knew a secret. Cleveland’s Great Lakes Brewing was founded in 1986 by brothers Daniel and Patrick Conway, and you don’t get much more Irish than Pat Conway. While the brewery’s seasonal Conway’s Irish Ale would have been more appropriate, like the characters in Grabbers I had to use what was immediately available. Plus, this gave me a chance to show off my Cleveland beer trivia. I poured myself a pint.
From the beginning I was drawn into the move by way of the Irish accents (don't judge me). A few times they were too thick for my American brain, but never so much they got in the way. The acting, the characters, and the Irish shorelines were flippin' charming, and the movie used that charm to successfully get that tricky balance between humor and monster movie, not easy to do. Too often this type of movie falls into full-fledged intentional camp, which can be irritating, or, worse, feels uneven when shifting between tension and humor. This one didn't do that, and made me laugh out loud at least three times. I compare it to the humor and pacing of Tremors, but with a lot of whiskey and beer. I don't think it's a spoiler to reveal the monster doesn't like the blood of drunk people. At least that's a theory arrived at by our heroes.
The dialog was priceless. In one of my favorite scenes, our heroes, none of which are hero types, are gathered around a table taking stock of their weapons:
From the beginning I was drawn into the move by way of the Irish accents (don't judge me). A few times they were too thick for my American brain, but never so much they got in the way. The acting, the characters, and the Irish shorelines were flippin' charming, and the movie used that charm to successfully get that tricky balance between humor and monster movie, not easy to do. Too often this type of movie falls into full-fledged intentional camp, which can be irritating, or, worse, feels uneven when shifting between tension and humor. This one didn't do that, and made me laugh out loud at least three times. I compare it to the humor and pacing of Tremors, but with a lot of whiskey and beer. I don't think it's a spoiler to reveal the monster doesn't like the blood of drunk people. At least that's a theory arrived at by our heroes.
The dialog was priceless. In one of my favorite scenes, our heroes, none of which are hero types, are gathered around a table taking stock of their weapons:
"I've got a nail gun. And a board. With a nail in it."
"Well, I've got a hurley and a pellet gun."
"What you gonna do with a pellet gun?"
"Shoot pellets.... But I don't have any pellets."
| Our heroes approach a grabber, appropriately armed Photo courtesy of Grabbers website, http://grabbers.ie/ |
This ridiculous conversation worked perfectly, but might have failed without the Irish charm. (A "hurley", btw, is this wooden stick used in the Irish game of hurling.)
Throughout the movie, people scheme up plans and toss out theories that don't always work or make sense, but you can totally imagine someone actually thinking they were good ideas, especially after a pint or two.
As for the monster, it's good, and even though it's largely CGI, it didn't have that overt CGI cheesiness you'll see in many low budget monster movies.
While I entered this movie skeptically, I haven't had this much fun watching a monster movie in a long time. Plus, it's not too often that Fear, with Beer can actually find a movie that is actually about fear, with beer. That is a true find.
Great Lakes Brewing Company
| Great Lakes Oktoberfest and a board with a nail: You're ready to take on a Grabber |
It's odd to realize that in most of the states outside of Ohio, Great Lakes Brewing Company beers may be unknown. They are certainly a mainstay in Cleveland. While Ohio has some amazing microbreweries now with more on the way, in the 1980s it was a beer wasteland until Great Lakes opened their brew pub in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland. Because I lived very close to the pub in the early 90s when they were still new, I've been a fan from almost the beginning. I've been lucky to meet Pat Conway a few times, and he is an inspirational guy.
The brewpub is in a trendy area area featuring a number of great pubs and restaurants, but the same area was fairly seedy when they first opened, rehabbing a dilapidated yet historic old building that otherwise might have met a nasty end. Inside the brew pub is an amazing Tiger Mahogany wood bar at which G-Man Elliot Ness, leader of The Untouchables, once sat. (Ness moved to Cleveland after his G-Man days). The brewpub often features draughts not available in bottles, so it's always worth a trip -- plus the cool old building has a great vibe to it. I'm a loyal fan of Great Lakes, a company that not only produces great beers but also has achieved some amazing achievements in sustainability. They even have "The Fatty Wagon", a van retrofitted to run off of their discarded fryer grease! I'm telling you, if you can, get out to the Great Lakes brewpub.
Fear, with Beer is about the joy of discovery and experience. I'll see better movies, no doubt, yet don't think I'll stumble across a better combo of beer and movie than I did for this one. This was one of those combos that seemed built for me.
