I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell

The Hangover has a bastard cousin. Its name is I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell.

Based on a few of the “famous” antics of blogger-cum-screenwriter Tucker Max, the film follows an ambiguously factual Tucker (Matt Czuchry) who goads his two best friends, soon-to-be-wed Dan (Geoff Stults) and recently dumped Drew (Jesse Bradford) to embark on a stripper- and booze-filled bachelor weekend. The eventful visit to a strip club pegged as “the Superbowl of carnal pleasures” leads to a disastrous end for Dan—ejected from the club, he urinates on cops and wakes up in his own vomit in jail. Finally tired of standing up for his friend’s constant selfishness, Dan disinvites Tucker from the wedding celebration, and Tucker must find a way back into his friends’ good graces.

The movie’s foremost problem lies in its protagonist, a less charming Van Wilder who brings nothing but womanizing to the table. The panty-dropping charisma of the Max from his blog stories does not translate into the film, leaving the fault lying either with his maiden screenplay or the authenticity of his stories. As a writer who became famous for his ludicrously lewd behavior, Max leaves most of his best stories out of the film, aiming for a stronger narrative flow. But these conflicting goals—trying to maintain the outrageousness while also being “real”—leave the film in limbo. He’d be better off retelling vignettes of his blog.

Tucker’s glaring lack of characteristics and faux complexity are further highlighted when compared to the surprisingly well-written characters of Drew, Dan’s fiancée Kristy (Keri Lynn Pratt) and hooker/closet gamer Lara (Marika Dominczyk). Save for a few Tucker-related one-liners, only some moments between these characters give the movie any sort of emotional punch.

Despite the efforts of these actors (especially Bradford, whose misanthropic humor is dead on) and a few comical moments, nothing can overcome the lack of an interesting protagonist. Furthermore, the film’s main message—that Tucker is such a narcissist—makes it impossible for the audience to care. What would be more worthwhile is a look into Tucker’s past to see how he became the douche he is today. 

The film exists in a state of self-delusion. Tucker, we can’t stop caring if we didn’t care in the first place.