Black Bear – Movie Review
First Reaction – Black Bear tries to bring plenty of surprises throughout the story.
Watch Black Bear here.
a JustWatch
Director: Lawrence Michael Levine
Writer: Lawrence Michael Levine (Screenplay)
Cast
- Aubrey Plaza (Ingrid Goes West)
- Christopher Abbott (Possessor)
- Sarah Gadon (Enemy)
- Paola Lazaro (The Walking Dead)
- Grantham Coleman (Rustin)
Plot: A filmmaker at a creative impasse seeks solace from her tumultuous past at a rural retreat, only to find that the woods summon her inner demons in intense and surprising ways.
Runtime: 1 Hour 44 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Black Bear starts when filmmaker Allison (Plaza) heads to a retreat run by Gabe (Abbott) and Blair (Gadon). It doesn’t take long for Allison to take notice of Gabe and an uneasy connection with his wife. However, things spiral out of control leading to a series of unusual outcomes.
This takes things in a different direction leading to an unexpected series of events. Allison must deal with her sanity to understand the bigger picture of her time away.
Verdict on Black Bear
Recap
The movie follows an actress taking a retreat from her busy life. She ends up in the middle of a marriage before the events of the weekend take an unexpected twist.
Best Parts
This movie has brilliant performances even if the story seems a little bit all over the place. They carry the movie through the uncertain directions we go, taking us down the path.
Worst Parts
The story tries to bring us something outside the normal. However, it takes a twist which makes some of the story feel empty and then takes us down a destructive path that no longer invests us.
Final Thoughts – Black Bear goes for the overcomplicated story and fails to land it.
