I’m going to be fully honest here. I still don’t fully understand the 2020 film Black Bear, starring Aubrey Plaza. Parts of it are left intentionally unexplained, disconnected, and uncomfortable. In fact, it’s reminiscent of a David Lynch film with its tranquil scenery, tense music, human conflict, and an altogether dreamlike feel that suspends reality.
It’s rare that I am fully engrossed in a movie these days — smartphones, kids, and other distractions will often split my attention. But this movie sucked me in from the first moment and did not release me even once it was over.
Aubrey Plaza plays Allison, an actress turned filmmaker who goes to stay with Gabe (Christopher Abbott) and Blair (Sarah Gadon) in their remote cabin as a sort of writers retreat. They are friends of a friend, and are a tense couple expecting a baby.
Throughout the course of a weekend, things go from okay to, well, f***ed pretty quickly. Allison, desperate for inspiration for her next film, pits the couple against each other and worms her way into their private lives.
As the drama builds, we witness these three unstable characters drop their masks and manipulate each other, fall apart, and unearth uncomfortable secrets.
Black Bear is an absolutely gripping masterpiece from the tangible tension during arguments to the first major climax to the unexpected twist.
There are a number of theories about this film, from alternate realities to everything happening in Allison’s head to nonlinear storytelling, but I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.
In my opinion, what makes a film perfect is its ability to linger in your mind and make you question things you took for granted. This film raised a lot of questions and presented an accurate and uncomfortable glimpse of humanity at its worst. Aubrey Plaza hit an entirely new level as an artist in this film, and she was supported by the excellent talent of Gadon and Abbot. I give this film my first 10/10.
************I would like to add a spoiler/trigger warning here. Stop reading to avoid potential spoiler************
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********TRIGGER WARNING for potential pregnancy/infant loss.***********
The Midnight Review 