by Aaron Schweitzer
(awkwardly) This has been so… fun.
This is going to be the hardest movie I’ve ever had to write about and I’m going to do my best to give it to you without spoiling the movie. But I say that it’s going to be the hardest not only because there are some really interesting ways this film changes perspectives at close to the midway mark (and I’ll touch on that in a later paragraph) but also because I’m still not 100% sure what I just watched; and I think that’s exactly what the director intended. So, let’s just dive into it.
Black Bear is about a filmmaker who is trying to figure out what her next project is going to be, so she rents a room in a cabin owned by two other people living there… kind of. All I really know for sure is that it is simultaneously riveting, fascinating, and layered to the point of curious confusion with some incredible acting.
The most notable thing about this movie is that Aubrey Plaza is giving a career-best performance. It will be a travesty if she isn’t at least nominated for this film and in my honest opinion, she deserves to win with what I’ve seen so far. Either way, this film puts her in serious contention as an actress that is going to win an Oscar and much sooner than we would have ever guessed after her introduction in Parks and Recreation and Scott Pilgrim vs The World.
While Aubrey Plaza is the clear standout here, she isn’t the only one giving a great performance as Christopher Abbott and Sarah Gadon are also giving excellent performances. I’ve not seen anything that either of them have been in, but now they are definitely names that I’ll be watching for in the future.
Okay, now getting into the directors intended vision for your experience watching this. I firmly believe that Lawrence Michael Levine wrote and directed this movie so that you are captivated by it and can’t wait to watch it again to fully realize what is going on. It’s not quite a movie I immediately wanted to re-watch like The Prestige, but it is one that I will be checking out again several times before I really feel like I understand it. I’m really happy I bought this movie instead of renting it.
Now, moving on to the most interesting thing about this movie is the way it tells its story. Part One is a fairly straightforward story with one layer under everything. Part Two, on the other hand offers an expansion of Part One. Part Two reflects the way that Allison talks earlier about inspiration and how every story starts from a single thought, but then as single thoughts expand to be full length and along the way, they often change and grow. And this movie handles it excellently because you initially think it is going one way, but very quickly there is something off about it and when you spend time reflecting on it, it’s quite brilliant!
Look, this movie isn’t going to be for everyone. It definitely isn’t for your grandparents. But for someone who is interested in studying filmmaking, storytelling, and inspiration, or if you are willing to go along for a curious ride, then Black Bear is definitely a movie for you.
Grade: A-