''Beer for My Horses'' is a 2008 American

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

starring and co-produced by country music entertainer

Toby Keith Toby Keith Covel (born July 8, 1961), known professionally as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer. He released his first four studio albums—1993's ''Toby Keith'', 1994's ''Boomtown'', 1996' ...

which is based on his song by the same name. The film was co-written by Keith and

Rodney Carrington Rodney Scott Carrington (born October 19, 1968) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, country music artist and songwriter. He has released six major-label studio albums and a greatest hits package, on Mercury Records and Capitol Records. His ...

(who also stars in the film) and directed by

Michael Salomon Michael Salomon (born in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, United States) is an American music video/film director, who has directed many music videos, including many of Toby Keith's music videos. He directed the video for Metallica's " One", which was ...

, who has directed numerous music videos for Keith. The film was shot in and around

Las Vegas, New Mexico Las Vegas is a city in and the county seat of San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States. Once two separate municipalities (one a city and the other a town), both were named Las Vegas—West Las Vegas ("Old Town") and East Las Vegas ("New Town" ...

, United States and was released on August 8, 2008. It made about $667,000 in its limited box office release.

Plot

Best friends Joe Bill "Rack" Racklin (

) and Lonnie Freeman (

) are deputy sheriffs in the small town of

Mangum, Oklahoma Mangum is a city in and county seat of Greer County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,010 at the 2010 census. It was originally part of Old Greer County in the Texas panhandle. The community was named for A. S. Mangum, who owned the ...

who enjoy pig hunting and drinking at the local bar, the Thirsty Monkey. After his girlfriend Cammie (

Gina Gershon Gina L. Gershon (born June 10, 1962) is an American actress. She has had roles in the films ''Cocktail (1988 film), Cocktail'' (1988), ''Red Heat (1988 film), Red Heat'' (1988), ''Showgirls'' (1995), ''Bound (1996 film), Bound'' (1996), ''Face/ ...

) leaves him when he does not make time for her due to his job and hanging out with friends, Rack finds out that his old flame Annie Streets ( Claire Forlani) has returned home from Chicago to care for her sick mother. Rack, Lonnie, and their friend and fellow deputy Skunk Tarver (

Ted Nugent Theodore Anthony Nugent (; born December 13, 1948) is an American rock musician and activist. He initially gained fame as the lead guitarist and occasional lead vocalist of The Amboy Dukes, a band formed in 1963 that played psychedelic rock an ...

) arrest three local criminals and a Mexican drug lord, Tito Garza (

Greg Serano Greg Serano (born August 7, 1972) is an American actor. He is best known for his role of Pablo Betart on ''Wildfire (2005 TV series), Wildfire'' and as Enrique Salvatore in ''Legally Blonde''. He played a role in ''Power (TV series), Power'' as A ...

), for stealing fertilizer that is intended to make methamphetamine. Garza is scheduled to be turned over to the

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...

for federal charges when Annie mysteriously disappears after a date with Rack, who discovers that Annie has been kidnapped by Tito's older brother, Manuel Garza (

Carlos Sanz Carlos Sanz is an American actor. He is best known for playing the main villain, Carlito, in the 2006 film '' Crank''. Early life Sanz grew up in Chicago and has two brothers, Steve and the actor Horatio Sanz. He and his family grew up in the Hum ...

), who runs a large Mexican drug cartel. Manuel contacts the police and demands Tito be returned to him in Santa Luna, Mexico, or he will kill Annie. Despite being taken off the case by their boss, Sheriff Landry (

Tom Skerritt Thomas Roy Skerritt (born August 25, 1933) is an American actor who has appeared in over 40 films and more than 200 television episodes since 1962. He is known for his film roles in ''M*A*S*H'', ''Alien'', '' The Dead Zone'', '' Top Gun'', '' A ...

), Rack, Lonnie, and Skunk break Tito out of his jail cell and take him to Mexico. Along the way, they approach a young hooker named Harveyetta and are helped by a group of circus entertainers led by Charlie (

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album ''Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of ''Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (197 ...

), who gives them a jug of homemade whiskey known as "circus jolly". Once in Mexico after dropping Harveyetta off, they engage in a gunfight with Garza's men and it is revealed that Annie's rich and powerful stepfather, Buck Baker (

Barry Corbin Leonard Barrie Corbin (born October 16, 1940) is an American actor. He is best known for his starring role as Maurice Minnifield on the television series '' Northern Exposure'' (1990–1995), which earned him two consecutive Primetime Emmy Awar ...

) is Garza's partner and his United Farm Enterprises is the base for the largest methamphetamine operation in Oklahoma. Baker reveals that the local district attorney, Levin (

Curtis Armstrong Curtis Armstrong (born November 27, 1953) is an American actor and singer best known for playing the role of Booger in the ''Revenge of the Nerds'' movies, Herbert Viola on the TV series ''Moonlighting'', Miles Dalby in the film '' Risky Busines ...

), is corrupt and that he has been giving Annie's mother "goofy juice" to make her appear to have Alzheimer's disease. With the help of former criminal Johnny Franks, who becomes undercover FBI agent Levon Spurlock, Rack kills Buck and rescues Annie. Rack, Lonnie, and Skunk turn Manuel and Tito over to the FBI in

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...

and return to Mangum. There they are cheered by the local crows at the Thirsty Monkey. Landry berates them for disobeying orders, but does not arrest them and everyone toasts "whiskey for my men, beer for my horses" while serving "circus jolly".

Cast

as Joe Bill "Rack" Racklin *

as Lonnie Luther Freeman *

as Skunk Tarver *

as Buck Baker *

as Tito Garza *

as Manuel Garza * Claire Forlani as Annie Streets *

as D.A. Levin *

as Sheriff Wilson Landry *

as Charlie *

Chris Browning Christopher Jay Browning (born March 8, 1964) is an American television and film actor, known for film work and character roles. Career Browning began his acting career in 1987, at age 22 or 23, with a sitcom television series. Due to his drug ...

as Deputy Stippens *

Mac Davis Morris Mac Davis (January 21, 1942 – September 29, 2020) was an American country music singer, songwriter, and actor. A native of Lubbock, Texas, he enjoyed success as a crossover artist, and during his early career he wrote for Elvis Presley, ...

as Reverend J.D. Parker *

Keith Jardine Keith Jardine (born October 31, 1975) is an American actor and retired mixed martial artist who most notably competed in the UFC and Strikeforce. Jardine was known for upset victories in bouts he took at short notice against highly rated fight ...

as Jay Boy Simpson *

as Cammie *

David Allan Coe David Allan Coe (born September 6, 1939) is an American singer and songwriter. Coe took up music after spending much of his early life in reform schools and prisons, and first became notable for busking in Nashville. He initially played mostly i ...

as Gypsy *

Mel Tillis Lonnie Melvin Tillis (August 8, 1932 – November 19, 2017) was an American country music singer and songwriter. Although he recorded songs since the late 1950s, his biggest success occurred in the 1970s as part of the outlaw country movement, ...

as Bob the plumber *

Cledus T. Judd James Barry Poole (born December 18, 1964) is an American country music artist who records under the name Cledus T. Judd. Known primarily for his parodies of popular country songs, he has been called the "Weird Al" Yankovic of country music, and ...

as Doughnut Shop employee

Box office

The film made $800,000 in its limited domestic release, with a possible worldwide gross of $1,500,000. The film is available on DVD and Blu-Ray, and has made $27.5 million in DVD sales, and $14 million in Blu-Ray, for a total of $42.5 million in home video sales.

Reception

Box office

The film was released to 450 theaters in 2008, and made $235,000 in its opening weekend, and stayed in theaters for four weeks, it made a total of $895,000.

Critical reception

The film holds a rating of 0% on

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

based on 11 critics. Toby Keith was criticized for his performance, though Willie Nelson was praised.

Soundtrack

References

External links

*
Beer for My Horses
at CMT.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Beer For My Horses 2008 films 2008 comedy films American comedy films Country music films 2000s English-language films Films shot in New Mexico Neo-Western films American vigilante films Roadside Attractions films 2000s vigilante films 2000s American films