Beer for My Horses (2008) Movie Review, Trailer, Film Still and Poster

USA 2008
Director: Michael Salomon
Cast: Toby Keith, Rodney Carrington, Claire Forlani, Ted Nugent, Greg Serano, Tom Skerritt, Willie Nelson
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: 8 August 2008
Running Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

The Movie Review

Beer for My Horses film still 1


BEER For MY HORSES
Storyline:
Cast:
Ending:
Overall:

I guess it's just about time to see any famous singer trying their luck in the movie world. Mariah Carey, Madonna, Beyonce Knowles, this time we will see a country singer in a comedy action movie. Toby Keith, however, was not doing his acting debut in Beer for My Horses, and this time he also wrote the screenplay and produced it. In country music, Toby Keith has a solid fan base but in the vast movie world, he has to compete with other actors as well.

Beer for My Horses centers on the peaceful rural life in a county in Oklahoma, Jackson County, where the deputies are only busy with minor problems such as domestic dispute. Toby Keith stars as the burly deputy Joe Bill Racklin, a harsh but discipline man accompanied by his total opposite, a bit of coward but a pleasant and funny man, Deputy Lonnie Feldman (Rodney Carrington). There is nothing so hot and dangerous about this town called Jackson County, Oklahoma, until one night, Racklin, Lonnie and the deadly silent Deputy Skunk (Ted Nugent) are catching red-handed a couple of thugs led by a Mexican, Tito Garza (Greg Serano), stealing drug-related.

Racklin and Lonnie celebrate their victorious catch. And Racklin even indulges in his new love story with his old flame, Annie Streets (Claire Forlani), who has just come from the big city. However, their merriment is soon to be harshly interrupted when Tito's big brother, Manuel Garza (Carlos Sanz) the Mexican drug lord, kidnaps Annie as a ransom for Tito. Furthermore, Sheriff Wilson Landry (Tom Skerritt) even forbids the emotional Racklin to go to Mexico for his own good. But the hot-headed Racklin is definitely going there with his best buds Lonnie and Skunk. What will happen in their journey? Could he get Annie back?

In essence, Beer for My Horses, is a comedy movie, but somehow it's starting to become an action film. And I've gotta say the changes are rather abrupt, one moment it's comedy and it could really make you at least chuckle, then one moment it's a action thriller with people getting killed and shot in a serious manner. But to put it simply, the comedy is ok, the action is ok, and the acting is ok too, especially by Rodney Carrington that serves as comic relief that it turns out without him, this movie would be nothing. The performance of the cast is good as well, Claire Forlani, Greg Serano and Willie Nelson (The Uncle Jesse Duke of The Dukes of Hazzard (2005) and The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning (2007)) could provide more depth to the movie. But I have to admit I see this movie for wanting to see Tom Skerritt in a country movie like this. Although he doesn't have many lines, I still like seeing him, you might also have the same reason as me if you have seen him in Thieves Like Us (1974) and the major awesome hixploitation movie, Big Bad Mama (1974).

The pacing is good, enjoyable without being too fast or too slow but there are undoubtedly rather out-of-the-place filler scenes with the Carnival people. Those people are really something unique and the atmosphere provides some kind of interesting road show attraction but still those scenes feel out of the place. And the brief nudity (in a split second) is rather obscure as well. Something that's reminded me of Rat Race (2000), the scene where a topless girl would make a driver comically crashes his vehicle. And the last but not least, is the mind-boggling bathroom scene where Deputy Lonnie is singing a soul song accompanied by unlikely-looking singers... Hmm, I think this scene is mandatory in the script just to create a "balance"...?

Beer for My Horses won't be something memorable but it's decent enough to rent for a lazy afternoon.