Black Bear Movie Review (2020)

Told in two parts, Black Bear, which focuses on a writer who is writing a screenplay, will have you dissecting what actually happened after the last frame.

Conversations about movies that people love never get boring for me. I really enjoy hearing someone’s perspective on a film, even if it’s one that I couldn’t get into. I find that other people’s insights have a way of opening my eyes sometimes, so I love to hear other opinions and recommendations. I’d never heard of Black Bear before someone told me to watch it, and what an interesting film it was.

Black Bear is a story about Allison, a former actor and a current screen writer. Retreating to a cabin in the woods, hosted by a couple who also lives there, she works to come up with ideas for the script that she is planning to write.

This film is told in a nonlinear fashion and leaves room for lots of discussion around what the movie is about and what actually happened, so I am not going to dissect it here and ruin anything for you. What I will say is that it is a psychological thriller, it is not scary, but it is very cerebral and there are many moments that seem to be created twice. You will see them occur as you watch (for example, there are two nosebleeds), which is something I found fascinating.

Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Abbott, and Sarah Gadon star and bring tons of nuance to their characters. Plaza in particular is electrifying and, in the second half, almost uncomfortably so. She is so dynamic in this role – there is so much there – that when it all comes out, it shakes you just a bit.

I really enjoyed the “not knowingness” attached to Black Bear, and if you watch it, I hope you come back to talk about it. It’s truly a thinker that finger paints in the themes of jealousy and manipulation, and it never quite lets you go while you are watching. You are never comfortable, which is the point. And any film that can keep you feeling a consistent discomfort and pique your curiosity is one worth viewing.

Runtime: 105 minutes

Motion Picture Rating: R

Languages Spoken In The Film: English

Should You Watch It? Yes

Did I Cry? Nope

My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Available: Free on Prime Video and Tubi, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms