Black Bear

A hugely offbeat film seems likely to split opinion in spite of fine performances.

Aubrey Plaza

In this film the cast are betrayed by the writing. Personally I could come to no other conclusion, but it is only fair that I should record that this piece, written and directed by Lawrence Michael Levine, has been highly praised by some. It's a film in two parts respectively entitled ‘The Bear in the Road’ and ‘The Bear by the Boat House’ and it is certainly the case that Part I is not without its pleasures. However, despite that division, this is a piece that stands or falls as a whole and the second half strikes me as totally misconceived.

At the outset we meet Allison (Aubrey Plaza), a former actress turned writer/director. She is taking time off in the Adirondacks staying as a guest in the lakeside house belonging to Gabe (Christopher Abbott), a musician, and his pregnant wife, Blair (Sarah Gadon). In spite of Blair's condition, Gabe is flirtatious with Allison which for her is a not unwelcome distraction from the fact that she is suffering from a writer's block.  Blair is not unaware of Allison's attraction for her husband and the talk which ensues and which plays a strong role in the piece is decidedly edgy. At times one is reminded of another comparatively recent film, that being Josephine Decker's Shirley (2020) which was centred on the author Shirley Jackson, and all three players handle it with aplomb. Part I may end pretentiously with a dramatic incident topped off by a symbolic shot of a bear but for most of its length it does intrigue one.

At this point the critic hits a problem in that Part II, the longer section, springs surprises that cannot be discussed in any detail without disclosing things that the audience should not know in advance. The film now plays like a variant on the first part and the changes involved in that are fuelled by a basic conceit that takes the breath away. It is undeniably telling when first revealed. Unfortunately, though, Levine chooses to take things much further opting to virtually recast the characters, set up parallels and play with issues of identity. Before long it becomes much too clever for its own good and one senses that Levine is far too pleased with himself and is revelling in his own creation. Instead of taking you with it and becoming genuinely thought-provoking, Black Bear plays games and feels so contrived that what emerges, enigmatically of course, seems not smart and ingenious but downright silly. By the time that the film came to an end I felt that watching it had been a waste of my time despite the strong promise of its earlier scenes. In particular, I regretted that Aubrey Plaza, the fine actress at the heart of the movie who is clearly giving it her all, should be subjected to plot developments that undermined her efforts so radically. But should the game that Levine chooses to play take your fancy then you will undoubtedly respond very differently to this film, symbolic bear and all.

MANSEL STIMPSON

Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Abbott, Sarah Gadon, Paola Lázaro, Grantham Coleman, Lindsay Burdge, Lou Gonzalez, Shannon O'Neill, Alexander Koch, Jennifer Kim.

Dir Lawrence Michael Levine, Pro Julie Christeas, Jonathan Blitstein, Robert J. Bosner, Aubrey Plaza, Lawrence Michael Levine, Sophia Takal, Marina Grasic and Jai Khanna, Screenplay Lawrence Michael Levine, Ph Robert Leitzell, Pro Des Tracy Dishman, Ed Matthew L. Weiss, Music Giulio Carmassi and Bryan Scary, Costumes Allison Pearce.

Momentum Pictures/Tandem Pictures/Oakhurst Entertainment/Blue Creek Pictures/Productivity Media-Vertigo Films.
105 mins. USA/Canada. 2020. Rel: 23 April 2021. Available on Curzon Home Cinema and BFI Player. Cert. 15.