User reviews

I certainly enjoyed seeing the world premiere of Hey, Bartender at the SXSW Film Festival, but at the same time the film left me a little uninspired. The film is undoubtedly well-made and well-edited from a technical perspective. Many of bartenders seemed to have interesting personal stories and ideas about their profession. I also enjoyed the history of how the culture of bars has evolved in the United States. The images of some of the bartenders practicing their craft are quite impressive.

But somehow with all that the film has going for it the idea that bar tending should be viewed as a profession or even a culinary art form seemed like an uninteresting topic if you don't generally patronize expensive Manhattan bars that seem to cater to an extremely wealthy clientèle. I found myself much more intrigued by the one bartender – Carpi - who ran a corner bar in a small town in Connecticut. However, the movie seemed to be suggesting that his good old-fashioned neighborhood bar was now antiquated and that in order to survive he should modernize and become a fancy Manhattan-style bar with expensive craft cocktails. The whole premise of the film seemed very classist and arrogant. I'd much rather get a beer at a neighborhood bar than at a fancy cocktail lounge. Also, the film completely ignored all of the damage that the alcohol does to so many lives. As a whole, the film is too elitist for my taste.

In my view this is a small piece of the snowball that is turning into an avalanche within the hospitality industry. Food has for many years absolutely dominated the screens and articles across the world yet just as much effort and even more patience in time goes into making that favorite tipple we all have in our minds. Centuries go into creating just one bottle of spirit through aging, perfecting production methods and family run distilleries harking back to the golden ages of the hospitality industry. This film is a big step in the right direction, casting a new light on those behind the bar rather than what people see spilling onto the streets from their local dive. There are many respected and influential names in Hey Bartender that revolutionized the Cocktail scene. It's good to see something like this look at both ends of the spectrum by having the two main focal points as a small town bar and another that's won best bar in the world. Google TV-shows or films about proper bar tending and you'll struggle beyond Tom Cruise in 'Cocktail, this and Boozed up Abroad'. Why though when this side of hospitality has so much to offer in the same respects that the food side does. Lovely camera-work and well conveyed at the new wave for the Spirit serving industry.

Hey Bartender gives the viewer a look into a world full of wonderful real-life characters. It makes me want to go out and become a bartender so I can start having as much fun as they are! Well paced and entertaining, the film shows the viewer what it takes to be on the other side of the bar. It also hits a personal note and allows you to see the life and hardships some of the bartenders have been through. Hey Bartender definitely makes cocktails and your relationship with the bartender more personal. A must watch for anyone who is a fan of movies and a good time! The next time I order a drink will be a whole new experience!