Black Bear

Name: Black Bear
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Released: December 4, 2020
Duration: 104 min
Rating: 79
Cast: Alexander Koch, Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Abbott, Grantham Coleman, Haitao Zeng

2020

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 23 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 29 Ratings

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7.4

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7.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 29 Ratings

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Black Bear

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Movie Details & Credits

Momentum Pictures | Release Date: December 4, 2020 | Not Rated

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

Summary: At a remote lake house in the Adirondack Mountains, a couple entertains an out-of-town guest looking for inspiration in her filmmaking. The group quickly falls into a calculated game of desire, manipulation, and jealousy, unaware of how dangerously convoluted their lives will soon become in the filmmaker’s pursuit of a work of art, whichAt a remote lake house in the Adirondack Mountains, a couple entertains an out-of-town guest looking for inspiration in her filmmaking. The group quickly falls into a calculated game of desire, manipulation, and jealousy, unaware of how dangerously convoluted their lives will soon become in the filmmaker’s pursuit of a work of art, which blurs the boundaries between autobiography and invention.… Expand

Director: Lawrence Michael Levine

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 104 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Mick LaSalle

Dec 1, 2020

Ultimately, Black Bear is about the price of art — not only the price the artist pays, but that the people around the artist end up paying, unwittingly. Yet in the actual experience of it, the movie doesn’t feel so lofty. It just feels tense and disquieting, like a thriller. In that sense, it is a thriller, but one of the emotions, and it’s riveting every step of the way. Read full review

The Playlist Robert Daniels

Jan 28, 2020

Unique and unfazed, hilarious yet philosophical, Black Bear is the comedic form reinvented and re-conformed to mad and intoxicating ends. Read full review

David Canfield

Jan 28, 2020

It’s brainy, sure, but the emotional experience is what’s most vivid. The plot beats may confound you, but the feelings behind them are crystal-clear. Read full review

Chuck Bowen

Nov 29, 2020

Shot through with darkly existentialist humor, the film finds Aubrey Plaza throwing a gauntlet to filmmakers who have typecast her in the past. Read full review

James Berardinelli

Dec 23, 2020

The way Levine has structured Black Bear turns the possible interconnections between the stories into a puzzle for which there is no ironclad solution. That’s part of the fun – speculating what it all means. For those who prefer a more passive experience, Black Bear offers a dollop of frustration but, for those willing to brush aside the web-like strands entwining the first story with the second, it’s an engaging double-feature. Read full review

Richard Roeper

Dec 3, 2020

Suffice to say Levine has fashioned a twist-filled gem that leaves us a bit drained but also a little bit exhilarated by all its peaks and valleys and sharp curves. Read full review

Barry Hertz

Dec 1, 2020

Lawrence Michael Levine’s film, though, is only sporadically clever enough to pull off its central trick. Mostly, we’re stuck with a group of rather unpleasant people doing rather unpleasant things. To what desired end, it is never quite clear. Read full review

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User Reviews

drewsark

Jan 3, 2021

This brilliant film was intriguing from start to end. It is complex and fascinating. The acting was incredible. Aubrey Plaza was excellent for this role.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

arthurdepr

Dec 6, 2020

there's just... something about what aubrey does here. it truly feels like a career defining turning point. her performance is unflinching and destructive, yet elusive to the core, almost to the point of blurring the lines between the artist and the art. bette davis-ish in it's compositionthere's just... something about what aubrey does here. it truly feels like a career defining turning point. her performance is unflinching and destructive, yet elusive to the core, almost to the point of blurring the lines between the artist and the art. bette davis-ish in it's composition and VERY aubrey plaza in execution, perfectly encapsulating the experience of the whole film itself. if the oscars don't recognize talent then i'm so sorry sweety cause SHE IS THE MOMENT… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

JLuis_001

Dec 15, 2020

I liked it because it's not your average dumb comedy, but still is nothing extraordinary, but I would recommend it quickly and without problems.
Although I have to admit that it made me remember once again that Aubrey Plaza receives too much credit and I still don't know why.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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