‘No Sudden Move’ and Purposeful Minds India Pale Lager

Steven Soderbergh’s new crime caper is filled with twists and turns, but the real impact comes from its 1950s Detroit setting.

The Movie: Period crime thriller / 2021 / Warner Bros. Pictures – HBO Max

The Beer: India Pale Lager / 5.2% ABV / Eastern Market Brewing Co. – Detroit, MI

*Mild Spoilers*

No Sudden Move isn’t director Steven Soderbergh’s best movie. That said, it is impeccably well made and is easily one of the better flicks to premiere in 2021 (so far).

Here’s the lowdown: after taking a high-paying gig to “babysit” a family while its patriarch is forced to steal an important document from his employer at General Motors, two career criminals (Cheedle and del Toro) realize they’re being set up.

What ensues is a mad dash to preserve their own lives while discovering who’s behind it all. And yes, there’s a lot more double-crossing in the process. Also, Brendan Fraser is there, and it’s nice to see him on the big screen (figuratively speaking — I watched on HBO at home) again.

If you’re going in hoping for something fun and glossy like Ocean’s 11, this isn’t it. There’s some Ocean’s in there for sure, but there’s also doses of Erin Brockovich, Traffic, Sex, Lies, and Videotape and a lot of Soderbergh’s other movies. With No Sudden Move, the director feels at once honed and true to form while still seeking out something new. It’s tough to tell exactly where it’s heading until the end though (and I won’t spoil that here), so it’s best not to form any opinions too early.

Where the film really hits a home-run is its clever setting. With a bustling 1950s Detroit as its backdrop, No Sudden Move is able to deliver important modern commentary on corporate greed, crime, race relations and infidelity without coming across as pandering or lecturing. The story is delivered naturally — even though the setting provides important plot points, the narrative feels like it just happens to take place then and there rather than because of.

Speaking of the setting, it seemed only fitting to choose a No Sudden Move beer pairing from Detroit. If you want to adhere to the 1950s, the options are pretty much limited to enduring macro beer brands or local heritage names like Stroh’s and Altes. But today, I’m going with Purposeful Minds IPL from Eastern Market.

Like the movie, this beer has modern relevance in a historic setting. IPL stands for “India Pale Lager,” an increasingly trendy style that involves fermenting what might otherwise be an IPA with Lager yeast rather than Ale yeast. The Lager yeast gives the brew a nicely crisp, clean body that sips down lightly, but large additions of hops (usually pine and fruit-forward hops from the western U.S.) make it much more flavorful than your average Lager.

Purposeful Minds IPL is one very mellow, ultra-drinkable beer with plenty of fruit-like character. Too hot out for a big IPA but craving something more complex than a regular Lager? This is your beer. Though I’ll note that it doesn’t really matter anyway if you’re staying inside watching the movie with this beer pairing.

As for the brewery, Eastern Market is its own slice of Motor City history. They’re located in this cool brick building right around the corner from Detroit’s Eastern Market (a farmers market stemming back to the mid-1800s), in a neighborhood of the same name. The area still runs public events and regular farmers markets, and it’s also home to a lot of cool murals and artistic graffiti.

Of course, today’s Detroit is a considerably different place than the movie’s version. Along with the various economic swings over the years, the city’s population has declined to about half of what it was back in the 1950s. But while it may no longer be the auto mecca it once was, Detroit is now home to a new thriving industry — craft beer. As CraftBeer.com notes, the city’s beer scene is booming both in the suburbs and well within city limits.

So, breweries like Eastern Market are definitely worth a visit if you haven’t been. In the meantime, their beer is the perfect pairing for No Sudden Move. Cheers to the Motor City!