Drink up these boozy movies
Published 1:30 pm Wednesday, May 19, 2021
- Simon Pegg in a scene from "The World's End" (2013).
You may need to imbibe a little to enjoy a couple of the films on this list, but the others stand soberly on their own. Whether they’re about a particular inhibrent, a bar, addiction, one crazy night or the art of mixing itself, these films heavily rely on alcohol in order to move the plot forward.
Bottle Shock (2008) — The quirky dramedy is set in 1976 California as the wineries there were still not taken seriously on the world stage. Based on true events (though the film takes liberties with characterizations and the timeline), British sommelier based in Paris, Steven Spurrier (Alan Rickman), ventures to Napa Valley in search of a wine that could hold up in a tasting against a selection of French vintages. When he gets there he finds Chateau Montelena could be a contender, but vintner Jim Barrett (Bill Pullman) thinks it’s a setup. Luckily his son Bo (Chris Pine) thinks otherwise and works to get the wine over to France for the blind tasting Spurrier set up. The rest is history. Stream it on Amazon Prime or rent it on Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu or YouTube.
Cocktail (1988) — It’s not a good movie, but its omission from this list on boozy films in an issue about cocktails seems criminal. It is kind of fun to watch though for all the campy, corny ‘80s-ness that seeps through. It did earn itself a couple of Razzie Awards for Worst Picture and Worst Screenplay while director Roger Donaldson and star Tom Cruise nabbed nominations for Worst Director and Worst Actor respectively that year. Rent it on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu or YouTube.
Coyote Ugly (2000) — While it wasn’t a critical success, the film did well on its release and has since gained a cult following for its oh, so 2000s style and optimism found in many pre-9/11 films. It follows the story of aspiring songwriter Violet (Piper Perabo) as she moves to New York City with the dreams of scoring a deal with a record label, but she suffers from stage fright. With money running low, she gets a job at the Coyote Ugly bar, a drinking hole entirely run by women who dance on the bar, sing and bring home hundreds in tips at the end of the night. It’s pretty predictable but with several uncredited script rewrites from writers like Kevin Smith and Carrie Fisher, there are some redeeming things to be found. Rent it on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu or YouTube.
Days of Wine and Roses (1962) — Gut-wrenching even today, the Blake Edwards drama centers around a couple who go from casual, social drinkers to full-blown alcoholics whose addictions lead to financial ruin and put their child at risk. Brilliantly starring Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick as Joe and Kristen the film would actually help grow the social acceptance of Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and even led to Edwards, Lemmon and Remick to give up the drink after making it. Rent it on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu or YouTube.
The Hangover (2009) — For the trilogy of diminishing returns, the first testosterone-heavy comedy is definitely better than the follow-ups they tried. Following a trio of guys (Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis) who wake up the morning following their friend’s bachelor party to find him missing, their Las Vegas suite trashed, a random baby without a parent, a tiger in the bathroom and no memory of what happened before. They decide to retrace their steps, hilariously facing the consequences of their night before and going further and further into the craziness that Vegas has to offer. Rent it from Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu or YouTube.
The World’s End (2013) — The finale of the Cornetto Trilogy from Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost tackles sci-fi movies and tropes and throws in a pub crawl. Immature, alcoholic Gary (Pegg) decides to get his childhood mates back together to complete a 12-stop pub crawl through their hometown’s drinking spots. Reluctantly, they all agree but soon strange things begin to happen and townsfolk are not what they seem. Like all of their films, “The World’s End” packs heavy doses of British comedy, action and a lot of heart that may surprisingly bring a tear to your eyes. Stream it on Hulu (with Live TV) or Peacock, or rent it on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu or YouTube.