Watch Skip Showers for Beef
- 10 min
Skip Showers for Beef is a satirical comedy movie released in 2012. Directed by Spencer McDonald and written by Tim Bartell, this film explores the concept of sustainable living in a fun and light-hearted way. The movie takes place in a small town called Rockford, where the main character, Buck Marshall (played by Travis Legge), is an environmental activist and a vegetarian. Buck is passionate about eliminating meat consumption as a way to reduce carbon footprints, conserve water, and improve public health. He leads a campaign called "Skip Showers for Beef" that encourages people to go meatless for a day and take shorter showers to save water.
The movie starts with Buck and his girlfriend Tinsley (played by Molly Brennan) organizing a protest against a new fast-food restaurant that serves beef made from cows raised in an industrial feedlot. The restaurant is owned by a wealthy businessman named Hank Frobisher (played by Ian Pfaff) who doesn't care about the environment, animal welfare, or public health. Hank represents the antithesis of everything Buck stands for, and the two quickly become archrivals. The storyline of the movie revolves around the conflict between Buck and Hank, and how their personal values clash with each other.
Buck's crusade against meat consumption faces many obstacles. For one, his own father, Earl (played by Mike McNamara), is a carnivore who loves to grill steaks and barbecue ribs. Earl thinks that Buck's vegetarianism is a phase and that he will eventually come back to his senses. Earl frequently teases Buck and makes fun of his tofu and veggie burgers. Buck's mother, Sally (played by Mary Cross), is more sympathetic to Buck's cause but doesn't always agree with his tactics. She worries that he's taking things too far and alienating people instead of persuading them.
The Skip Showers for Beef campaign is also met with ridicule and criticism from the town's residents. Buck's best friend, Mikey (played by Ronnie Kroell), thinks that the idea is ridiculous and doesn't understand why anyone would skip showers for beef. Mikey likes to take long showers and uses a lot of water, which Buck thinks is wasteful. Another character, the town drunk named Bubba (played by Braden Moran), joins the protest but only because he thinks he's getting free beer. Bubba doesn't care about the environment or the animals and doesn't see the point of going meatless for a day.
Despite these setbacks, Buck remains committed to his cause and tries to win over people one by one. He starts by talking to students at the local high school, where he gives a presentation on the environmental impact of meat production. He shows graphic images of cow farms and slaughterhouses and explains how much water it takes to produce a pound of beef. Some of the students are impressed by Buck's message and start to think about their own eating habits. Others, however, are repulsed by the images and feel disgusted by the idea of skipping showers.
Meanwhile, Hank Frobisher is plotting against Buck and the Skip Showers for Beef campaign. He hires a public relations consultant named Amanda (played by Sarah Tolan-Mee) to create a counter-campaign that promotes meat consumption as healthy and patriotic. Amanda comes up with slogans like "Beef up America" and "Eat meat, save jobs" and organizes a meat-eating contest to celebrate the opening of Hank's restaurant. She also launches a smear campaign against Buck, portraying him as a radical extremist who wants to deprive people of their steak and hamburgers.
The conflict between Buck and Hank comes to a head at the meat-eating contest, where Buck and his supporters stage a protest. Buck climbs onto the stage and denounces meat consumption as a threat to the planet and to human health. He challenges Hank to a debate on the merits of vegetarianism versus carnivorousness, but Hank dismisses Buck and calls him a "hippie freak." The crowd cheers for Hank and boos Buck, but Buck doesn't give up. He continues to speak out against meat consumption and promotes his Skip Showers for Beef campaign.
Overall, Skip Showers for Beef is a funny and entertaining movie that tackles serious issues in a clever and engaging way. The film's cast of characters is diverse and memorable, and each actor brings something unique to their role. The movie's message about sustainability and personal responsibility is timely and important, and it will resonate with viewers who care about the environment and animal welfare. Whether you're a vegetarian, a carnivore, or somewhere in between, Skip Showers for Beef will make you laugh and think, and it will remind you to question your own habits and beliefs.