Utah theater is in trouble for showing 'Deadpool' and serving alcohol

Utah’s liquor laws aren’t what they used to be, but they’re still weird enough that you can get in trouble for showing a superhero movie and selling customers beer.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports a Brewvies, a combination movie theater and pub, has been fined by the state for showing the film Deadpool while serving alcohol to customers.

Utah’s “Attire, Conduct and Entertainment Act” states that it is against the law to serve alcohol during the showing of films containing sexually explicit content.

At a commission hearing by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control later this month, Brewvies will face a fine up to $25,000 and possible suspension of its liquor license for the offense. This isn’t the first time the theater has run afoul of the law either, as it was fined $1,627 in 2011 for screening The Hangover, Part II.

How does the state know if a theater is breaking this law? Turns out they send undercover cops to grab a drink, watch the movie, and take notes. Are you ready to hear some police report descriptions of movie sex? Because the ones posted by the Tribune are fantastic.

The first instance cited is dry and straightforward: “The male and female characters are shown having sex while nude.”

Okay, got it.

But things got a little bit more complicated during a credits scene where (spoilers) the titular character rides a unicorn. According to the Tribune, the report did not fail to find innuendo in this, writing “a drawing of the main character (male) is shown as he rides on the back of a unicorn, he rubs its horn briefly until the horn shoots out rainbows (simulating orgasm).”

I think someone may be projecting their fantasies into their work.

Brewvies is fighting the citation, filing a federal lawsuit against the state and hiring former Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson to represent them. And it appears they’ve also recruited Deadpool himself to their cause.

Since that tweet, a $5,000 contribution to the theater’s legal fund appeared on its GoFundMe page, attributed to Reynolds.