“WHAT TO SEE AT THE AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL”

The Outdoorsmen: Blood, Sweat, & Beers

D: Scott Allen Perry

Beer-drinking and hatchet-throwing. That’s all you need to know about The Outdoorsmen, a documentary about what Robert Bly’s navel-gazing Wildman outings could have been with a blue-collar imagination. Thirtysomething former high school jocks from rural Washington State compete in a brutal Ironman-esque contest with brewsky-chugging thrown into all events. Ample beer bellies attest to the competition’s 15-year history. Director Perry (no relation to filmmaker Scott Perry of Austin) scores on the doc basics: Find a good subject and treat it as seriously as you can. The result is a compelling film with intriguing characters. Pass me a cold one. – Joe O’Connell
The Outdoorsmen screens as part of the Documentary Competition on Thursday, Oct. 20, 9:30pm at the Hideout, and Tuesday, Oct. 25, 9:30pm at the IMAX.

DIRECT LINK:
http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2005-10-21/screens_string_all.html