Big Bear

With such a vague synopsis I had no idea what this film was even about before I went to see it. The name "Big Bear" was about as informative as a tap dancing monkey too. I was drawn to it because I saw that Tyler Labine was in the bill and I love a lot of his work (stemming from his brilliant performance in the "Reaper" series from way back in the day!). So, did this film live up to my expectations? Well, yes in the respect to the fact that I had no expectations going into watching I film I had no idea as to its plot. No in respect to everything else.

Big Bear felt like a re-hash of the Hangover but it was darker and a lot less funny. The movie centres around Joe, who was due to marry his fiancé but she broke up with him prior to the bachelor party. We come in on the night of what was supposed to be the bachelor party. Despite his reluctance, Joe's friends (Labine and Co.) force him to have a fun night and we flash forward to the next morning when the are somewhat hungover. Unlike the original "Hangover" movie where the premise is to find a lost friend, "Big Bear" takes a darker route when Joe finds someone tied up in the basement thanks to one of his friends. I won't elude to any other plot points since I don't want to spoil anything, but I think I would have wanted to know these bare bones going in to watch it myself.

From this brief synopsis you can tell that this movie is going to have traditional and dark humour, which it does. There are some jokes that made me chuckle, but the vast majority fell quite flat. I tried to like this movie, because I do think Tyler Labine is one of the most under-rated actors today, but this movie was a bit disappointing. The characters were under-developed so we never got attached to any of them. Additionally, the plot was very one-dimensional and presented us with nothing original.

It's a shame, because even though I am not a film-maker, I could even come up with better plot and sub-plot points to make this movie more interesting. But, in its current state, I would personally give this movie a miss even though it has a short running time.

This is the movie I've been looking for all summer. Big bear is a indie film written and directed by Joey Kern, the main character of the movie. This fact is readily apparent do to the sharp directing and pacing of the movie. There aren't any real lull moments in Big Bear, it's just a jump from one drunken disaster to the next that the characters have to deal with which makes the movie endlessly entertaining from front to back. The fast pace of the film makes the 87 minute run time feel even shorter, after watching the movie, I was hungry for more of this gang of bros hi-jinks. The acting coming from Joey Kern is on point and jumps from sullen moments of self-pity to fist-shaking righteous fury. It shows the full scope of Joey's acting ability and he takes advantage of every single scene. Despite Joe's (the character) many faults, the audience can't help but to sympathize with his plight. I'd recommend this movie anyone looking to enjoy their afternoon with their friends. You won't regret it.

NOT a b movie like one comment suggests. Better than a lot of movies in theaters last year. Comedy that feels real because of good actors but is well filmed and funny. Good description of panic attacks. I'd pay money for this movie and I haven't bought a movie in years. Give it a watch.

I would not say this is a comedy but I guess that was the idea. Do not think you are going to see anything close to the hangover because this is not and it doesn't pretend to be. I do not see the point of the movie, couple of familiar faces make you think it has to be good but it is not. I would skip this one, nothing worth your time here. The ending is better than the rest , I will give them that.

Big Bear took me through high waves of laughter in between moments of calm water with its mix of drama and comedy. Though the metaphor of the movie's name isn't truly appreciated until mid-way through the movie, Joey Kern's directorial debut film Big Bear questions the twists and turns of life. The moment when Kern's character (Joe) thinks he has reached his peak, but is misdirected captivated me. Kern, who directed, wrote, and starred in the film, does an impeccable job of demystifying the main character's daily struggles. The intensity of Joe's life is dissected in front of the readers with short flashbacks that slowly pile up. With each comparison to his fiancée's's lover, Joe finds himself falling down a dark rabbit hole. By adding so much backstory and combing down to every detail including Joe's career, I am able to connect with the main character's struggles in an unexpected way. Kern slowly develops different aspects of the character's life until the climactic ending (cue the Big Bear metaphor). This buddy-movie reminds me that no one is truly alone in their struggles and that a 'rebirth' isn't always the end of the world. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who is feeling down or is just looking for a good laugh.