Annabelle & Bear

So Worthwhile!       Great film.  Emotional and thought-provoking.  I cared about these characters right away and days later, I still find myself thinking about the layers of the movie.  That's how I always feel after seeing a really good film.  I went to a sneak preview of this film the other night and was surrounded by people laughing and crying.  It's truly a tender drama.  The script pulls you further and further into the film as the relationships of the characters reveal themselves in a way a story should be told!  How refreshing.      Although some parts were pretty intense and even though some of it was set in Detroit, it was nice to see that it lacked the extra violence that's become so typical in the depiction of Detroit.  I don't want to give too much away, except to say, I found the dynamics of the main characters, Bear (the big, bearded biker) and Annabelle (the adorable little girl) totally fascinating to watch as they try to find their way in this world.  Ultimately, the movie is about love, redemption and the human condition … so worthwhile!

First of all, the movie was great!!! I find myself thinking about the characters, even being disturbed, a week later. The disturbed part is only due to the fact that I hate to think of people, especially children being a victim of the drug culture. My heart went out to each of the characters for very different reasons. I loved how you wove in "good men" asking Bear to man-up and do the father job right. The story was very raw and very real, very moving. You got me tearing up at the end with the display of fatherly love. I loved the snap shots at the end! You did an impressive job portraying the big and the ugly of the drug/addiction culture. This is something nobody wants to see but you forced us to look as we got to know our new friends, Annabelle & Bear. Complicated relationships, surprising twists, humor, you had it all.

This lovely little film, Annabelle and Bear is an all too real depiction of how drugs can tear apart relationships. It's an unexpectedly tender story about a biker who has moved on after his ex left with their newborn baby, only to return, strung-out to dump the now two-year-old girl in his lap. It's a road-trip movie that allows us to watch as their relationship evolves, then take unexpected turns and resolve itself realistically. The acting on the part of Curt Massof (Bear) is beautifully understated as we see his struggles and quiet frustrations play out. Olivia Walby (Annabelle) is a stunning find. This little two-year-old was acting! I repeat, this little girl was acting and carrying half the film! She had the audience laughing, crying and in rapt awe. Everyone fell in love with her. The rest of the cast turned in excellent efforts as well, especially Kimberly Cruchon Brooks as Bear's mother Grace, and Rubie Harris as Annie, the ex. A worthy movie that I highly recommend.

The premiere of this movie was amazing. The audience reaction was genuine and inspired thanks to excellent writing and a stellar soundtrack. The dialog between characters is honest and the music cues are spot on, seamlessly transitioning each phase of Annabelle and Bears journey.

This film is not only shot brilliantly but has a refreshingly realistic cast of characters that form a true portrait of an American family. Bear, a grudgingly likable lead and Annabelle, an innocent victim lead separate, isolated lives until brought together by one desperate act of conscience. What follows is a funny, tragic, and heartfelt journey where we are reminded that in each of our lives we have our own cast of misfits that make life worth living.

From both an industry and consumer point of view, Annabelle and Bear is what so many people are seeking from big screen entertainment. From the first scene through to the last, I was engrossed in each of the characters, wishing I could jump in to the scene and take little Annabelle to safety or slam a door on those blocking Annabelle from a loving future. The soundtrack furthered the experience in each and every scene. The locations could not have been more perfect. I had to remind myself afterward that this was fiction as the dialogue, interactions and character development left me feeling it was a true story.