The Movie Out Here is a curious production. It’s a low-budget low-brow comedy, where beer is essential to the plot, yet everyone drinks responsibly. Filmed and set in British Columbia, it is only being distributed in Western Canada. No surprise to learn that it was made by the same company that makes commercials for the local brand of beer featured in the film.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with product placement films. To some degree, all films, even those without obvious product placement, reinforce specific cultural, consumer, and moral positions. But especially when the advertising is obvious, the film should also be entertaining. According to the only review I could find, this film is not.
Given the limited distribution, there are few ratings available. British Columbia and Manitoba rated it 14A, while Alberta decided the “crude sexual content” made the 18A rating appropriate. Despite that, they also note the thematic elements: “true friendship, responsibility, [and] living with integrity.” So maybe there’s a heartwarming story in here somewhere.
Tim Covell 