The Beach Bum

Name: The Beach Bum
Genre: Comedy
Released: March 29, 2019
Duration: 95 min
Rating: 55
Cast: Clinton Archambault, David Bennett, Donovan St V. Williams, Isla Fisher, Jerry Ascione

2019

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Mixed or average reviews based on 31 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 69 Ratings

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5.5	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 69 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Neon | Release Date: March 29, 2019 | R

Starring: Clinton Archambault, David Bennett, Donovan St V. Williams, Isla Fisher, Jerry Ascione, Jimmy Buffett, Jonah Hill, Joshua Rosen, Martin Lawrence, Matthew McConaughey, Snoop Dogg, Stefania Owen, Zac Efron

Summary: The Beach Bum follows the misadventures of Moondog (Matthew McConaughey), a rebellious rogue who always lives life by his own rules.

Director: Harmony Korine

Genre(s): Comedy

Rating: R

Runtime: 95 min

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Critic Reviews

Dan Gentile

Mar 27, 2019

There’s a moment in The Beach Bum when aging wastrel Moondog smokes a joint in a hammock, surrounded by naked women, with two hands on a bongo drum and a mouthful of gibberish poetry. That moment lasts 95 minutes, and it is glorious. Read full review

David Fear

Mar 28, 2019

Somehow, The Beach Bum is even nuttier, less logical, more visually beautiful and down-in-the-gutter uglier than the film you just imagined from that description. Read full review

David Sims

Mar 28, 2019

The most shocking thing about the film is its unabashed cheerfulness. For all Korine’s trademark provocation, The Beach Bum somehow manages to be an upbeat, triumphant tale of creativity and free-spiritedness. Read full review

Simran Hans

Nov 5, 2019

It’s not unfunny watching McConaughey smoke a joint from between Isla Fisher’s toes, but some viewers may find themselves less enamoured of Moondog than the film is. Read full review

Jim Slotek

Mar 27, 2019

Though Korine (Spring Breakers) doesn’t figure out how to make his protagonist breathe (at least smokelessly), he does do a commendable job of making the Florida Keys come alive with sunshine, pastel colours and partying. Read full review

Brian Truitt

Mar 28, 2019

It isn't good and it isn't bad – it is, to borrow a fitting adjective, "all right." But the film might as well be called “Matthew McConaughey: The Movie,” as it casts McConaughey in a role seemingly tailor-made for his famous style and yet, like the actor himself, also upends those same expectations. Read full review

Johnny Oleksinski

Mar 22, 2019

Meet Moondog — a movie character you’ll want to punch in the face. Read full review

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User Reviews

greatoneiw

Mar 31, 2019

Beach bum is really the most spiritual movie that I've seen, it shows the meaningless of it all and a person who is 100% awake and had already let go of the ego self. this masterpiece won't get much rates and views because of course, the mass population are busy with superheroes in 2019 butBeach bum is really the most spiritual movie that I've seen, it shows the meaningless of it all and a person who is 100% awake and had already let go of the ego self. this masterpiece won't get much rates and views because of course, the mass population are busy with superheroes in 2019 but the movie is just as deep as it can be.… Expand

5 of 9 users found this helpful54

xXTheKingXx

Mar 30, 2019

I couldn't stop laughing, great characters and moments and the cast was was amazing

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

CinemaCrush

Jun 22, 2019

if you came to this page, odds are, you're a Harmony Korine fan, OR, didn't know what Harmony films are like when you went to see this (from the bad reviews). Besides being cut of the Korine cloth in the best ways possible, there's nothing much else to say to a Korine fan. If you're happyif you came to this page, odds are, you're a Harmony Korine fan, OR, didn't know what Harmony films are like when you went to see this (from the bad reviews). Besides being cut of the Korine cloth in the best ways possible, there's nothing much else to say to a Korine fan. If you're happy with what he's done post-Gummo/Julien, and really dug Mister Lonely and Spring Breakers, you'll enjoy it all the same. If you're not predisposed to Korine, and aren't much into the style, you'll probably find it, quote, "boring", as the bad reviews have noted in more words. Korine is Korine is Korine ~ Gertrude Korine.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Compi24

Apr 2, 2019

In many ways, "The Beach Bum" acts as a perfect distillation of Harmony Korine's cinematic sensibilities, whilst still adhering to a mainstream standard of identity. The plot is as thin as can be, the morality in play is suspect as all Hell, and the thematics are definitely present, but justIn many ways, "The Beach Bum" acts as a perfect distillation of Harmony Korine's cinematic sensibilities, whilst still adhering to a mainstream standard of identity. The plot is as thin as can be, the morality in play is suspect as all Hell, and the thematics are definitely present, but just vague and murky enough to stump even the most astute filmgoers. It's a rough watch, but to be sure, I'm certain that's exactly what Harmony Korine intended it to be. However, that's not to say that any or all of these things add up to a final product that's interesting, amusing, or even good. In fact, the final product feels largely plotless, with any sense of a narrative throughline feeling more like a late addition than an intentional story. The characters are depraved and unlikable. The jokes range from minutely amusing to downright offensive. It's not a good movie. But is that the point? Who knows? As it stands right now, though, I hope the above score is exactly the one that Harmony Korine wants.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

MNBA

Mar 31, 2019

Do yourselves a favor, skip this movie and go get the book “Mile Marker Zero : The Moveable Feast of Key West” by William McKeen, and read that instead.

Huge Buffett fan, love McConaughey, Snoop, Fisher, Efron, all good. Love Key West / Caribbean vibe/culture, benders, good times, all that.Do yourselves a favor, skip this movie and go get the book “Mile Marker Zero : The Moveable Feast of Key West” by William McKeen, and read that instead.

Huge Buffett fan, love McConaughey, Snoop, Fisher, Efron, all good. Love Key West / Caribbean vibe/culture, benders, good times, all that. All that goodness was wasted on this movie. Ideas that pretend to be founded on some Hunter S. Thompson building block of substance that we never actually see, and then funneled into scenes of what 8th graders might think is cool, is more or less what’s going on here. McConaughey played the Moondog role to perfection, unfortunately the whole project was such entitled teenager attitude idealism that I was embarrassed for the entire cast by midway thru. I guess I didn’t realize that the writer/director was a corny 15-yr-old that recently discovered weed and is currently throwing a tantrum cuz his pampering mother is reluctant to take him to get that giant pot leaf tattoo on his back that he really really wants.

McConaughey made a few spots feel like there might be something, and the character could have been interesting under better circumstances, but then “Hey man” reckless stupidity won out.

I felt bored and strung out by the end. And despite the last ditch effort at some philosophical take away, the real Moondog is sh**ting on himself in a tent in LA, and nobody's cheering him on.

And the token square punching bag, why bother??

Some nice scenery though.… Expand

5 of 6 users found this helpful51

TheMovieDuder

Aug 23, 2019

This movie is prentious garbage. No plot, overly reliant on music and bad edits. There are some pretty shots, but this is a movie not a music video. Very boring, would not recommend.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

The3AcademySins

Mar 23, 2020

This is hands down one of the worst movies I have ever seen. I couldn't even finish it. Harmony Korine's vanity project has no script. The Beach Bum is meandering, pointless, filled with bad performances, and seems to have been made only to give the cast and crew an excuse to go on vacationThis is hands down one of the worst movies I have ever seen. I couldn't even finish it. Harmony Korine's vanity project has no script. The Beach Bum is meandering, pointless, filled with bad performances, and seems to have been made only to give the cast and crew an excuse to go on vacation in the Florida Keys and get high. I found this film to be painful to watch, and a huge, worthless waste of time. It's not even entertaining accidentally.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

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