If your idea of the perfect weekend is a two-day haze of smoked joints, endless cheese puffs and nothing on but your underwear, you’ll love The Beach Bum. It’ll probably be the funniest thing you’ve ever seen. Free-spirited poets who’ve shed all their material possessions, appreciate the sun and fine women will likely find a kindred spirit in the protagonist. Me? I couldn’t wait for it to end and the experience was worsened by one gentleman behind me who was breathing nothing but nitrous oxide and laughing at every pot reference. One of us was the intended audience, the other wasn’t. The film knows who it’s for and I’m sure they’ll enjoy it.
Moondog (Matthew McConaughey) is a Florida legend, having penned a beloved book of poems, married a beautiful and rich woman, (Isla Fisher) and fathered a smart daughter (Stefania LaVie Owen) years ago. Since, he’s only become freer, funner, more virile, more beloved, and livelier. Suddenly, he’s forced to accelerate the publishing of his next tome or lose everything.
Actually, there really isn’t much plot in The Beach Bum. Things happen to Moondog as he wanders but you could rearrange the meetings with rapper Lingerie (Snoop Dog), drug rehab patient Flicker (Zac Efron, donning a funny panini-inspired hairdo), literary agent Lewis (Jonah Hill, trying a bad accent for fun), dolphin tour guide Captain Wack (Martin Lawrence), or his wife in any order and it wouldn’t matter. ‘Cause it’s about the journey! I joke but it’s true. A character like Moondog lets things slide so it wouldn’t make sense for there to be an overarching story when The Beach Bum is all about his character.
The comedy’s a mixed bag. Even when I recognize it isn’t my style, I can see what other people would find appealing. Some jokes are simply too easy to foresee or take too long to arrive - Martin Lawrence’s scenes are a great example. When they come in fast or just kinda in the background, that’s when they work best. Having Matthew McConaughey in the lead role helps the film immensely. He was born for this role.
You can tell writer/director Harmony Korine likes topless women. A LOT. In every third scene, you’ll see a Florida babe with her jugs out, swaying back and forth to ensure you can’t miss ‘em. It’s sleazy and overdone. If this movie is your thing then all of those bouncing nipples are probably icing on the cake.
I can theoretically recommend The Beach Bum to some but if my past self asked me today if I should see it, the answer would be a hard “No”. Those it isn’t meant for will find it repetitive and aimless. If it sounds like your idea of a good time, I say go for it. (Theatrical version on the big screen, March 29, 2019)
