Le gamin

BEAR CUB introduces many to the concept of the non-traditional gay male: the hairy and chunky variety. It also artfully presents real-life situations for the characters. The relationship between a 'bear' uncle and his young nephew is the main focus, but the film also embraces the concept of male to male relationships (sexual and otherwise), HIV, and extended families. It manages to do all this without becoming maudlin or overly busy. The storytelling aspects of BEAR CUB are sharply honed. The performances are also quite good, especially from the central figures. There is, however, a somewhat lethargic feeling to the proceedings as well. I'm not sure if it is the unremarkable scoring and editing, but the film feels every bit it's 100 minutes. The characters are sometimes painfully earnest and the tone tips towards the self-important a bit too often. Perhaps it was reading the 'Director's Message' about the film that predisposed me toward this view. Also, the pacing of the movie feels a bit too 'even keel' - lacking a sense of momentum to carry us through to the final credits. The DVD 'extra scenes' reveal a highly comic scene at the film's core that might have pepped things up a bit. Whether it was excised for length or sexual content is not made clear. For those who think of Smokey and Yogi at the mention of 'bears' this film will be a real eye-opener. For the bear community it is at least a step (or two) forward.

This is a great little movie. I was pleasantly surprised that it avoided falling into predictability and that it kept the characters, including the prudish grandmother, three-dimensional. In some ways, her character is the most interesting--like Violeta and Pedro, we want to hate her, but ultimately she turns out to be neither truly "evil" nor fully irredeemable--but nothing in the plot forces us to come around to liking her, either. I appreciated the fact that the movie's gay characters are bears, and that this is largely unremarkable.

Other reviewers commented on the frank sex scenes. These appear to have been cut from the movie in commercial release--and the cuts were especially noticeable and choppy. They rendered at least a couple of scenes pointless. There is a little bit of irony in sitting in a theatre near the West Village, in an audience that was probably 90% gay men, watching a movie that focuses on a (very) sexually active gay man, yet finding myself "protected" from witnessing the movie's sex scenes.

For instance, the opening scene, which I understand from reading reviews and comments is fairly explicit, simply opens with three men in bed together, and Pedro telling the other two to hurry up because family is coming. The bathhouse scene shows Pedro and another man walking off together, and then a very choppy edit finds us at the next scene. We do see some kissing and fully-clothed groping, and Pedro and his friend from Paris rolling around in bed and later waking up and cuddling. I don't have a particular need to see erect penises (at least, not in movies), but I have no idea what else I might have missed with the editing out of these scenes. And, of course, more to the point, these are (or were) part of the movie, whether they make some people uncomfortable or not.

I don't know--perhaps these cuts may have been a necessary compromise to put the film in commercial release, but it still sucks (so to speak). I guess I'll have to wait for the release of the DVD to see the film in unexpurgated form. (And maybe it'll include some cool outtakes, too?--no, just kidding).

It appears to be a trend in the cinema by presenting the "bear" gay subculture. We already saw it in John Waters' "Dirty Shame" in the summer, although it's not the main idea of that picture. Of course, the John Waters' movie has nothing to do with Luis Miguel Albaladejo's superior film where we are presented with the Spanish version of this sub group of the gay culture where overweight men, usually hairy and cuddly tend to get together in bars, or other places where they can feel comfortable with one another.

In a way, it's a refreshing way to watch a film like this one that deals with that type of individuals, as they are presented leading normal lives without any hangups or other moral problems. In fact, the dialog is quite explicit as the people in the movie are not ashamed of their sexual preference and even those that aren't gay, keep an open mind about what is going on with Pedro, the man at the center of the story.

We get to know Pedro and his circle of friends. They all are normal people and well adjusted. Pedro is a loving man facing the dilemma of being a role model for his nephew, who has come into his life quite suddenly and without warning. Bernardo, the young boy, is wiser for his years as we get to know him better. This youngster, while being curious about his uncle's love life, is never a brat, as he takes everything in stride.

The film is a lot of fun for those that will watch it with open eyes. They will be rewarded to a fun time with a touch of reality at the end.

Cachorro is a movie about gay people that unexpectedly have to open their lives to the strict world of the straight culture. The most interesting thing about this movie is even most of the main movie characters are gay and not particularly beautiful (they are really bears), the effect of the movie is really intended to cause effects on straight people. I even imagine that many gay people will even feel offended by vicious lifestyle of this people.

Pedro is a middle age, middle class dentist. He is really a big gay bear (far from the styled all muscle gay community you can see on South Beach). Unexpected, his drug addict (and dealer) sister leave his 8 year son (Bernardo) to his care, she is traveling to India for business for two weeks with his boyfriend.

Pedro, gentle but self-centered person, does his best to keep the kid happy.

The kid knows perfectly well about his uncle homosexuality (his mother even thinks that the kid is homosexual too), but still has to change some of his habits like smoking joints in front of the kid or having sex in his bedroom.

This is a European movie, so dialogs and situation are FAAAAAAAAAAAR from the repressed American minds. When a friend try to smoke a joint, in front of the kid, Pedro stop him, but the kid offers to prepare it himself, as he usually does for his mother and adoptive father.

Out of nowhere, the kid's grandmother appears. She is a very depressed old but no to old woman, whose son (Bernardo's father) died for drug (and aids) and she is blaming Bernardo's mother for that. The kid of course wants nothing with her and refuse even to go out.

The relation between them growth from the obligation to real caring of the kid. That does no means, Pedro lifestyle completely changes. He refuses a steady relation ship with his French boyfriend / pilot. He embarks in quick sexual encounters in clubs and/or dark streets (there are a few strong sexual scenes here, so prepare to feel offended). In addition, he does joints and cocaine with his friends.

After a few days, Bernardo's mother is caught with drugs and put in jail. The grandmother will fight for the kid custody, using Pedro's lifestyle against him.

The characters are perfectly crafted. There are not bad people or saints. Probably Bernardo's selfish mother is worse than anybody else is. The grandmother is portrayed as a sad woman fighting to recover her only left family.

The battle custody ends in the only possible 'actual moral rules permit' however there are no big trials or lawyers arguments. Things get resolved as life, out of court, but the movie does not end there but keep going for a few more years, towards a perfect and realistic ending.

Due to some strong sexual scenes (my wife was completely horrified in certain moments), but most important for the surprising dialogs and situations, this movie will get an NC-17 without any doubt. It will be a pity to cut all this; doing so will diminished the effect the director wanted. Please, open your mind (close your eyes sometimes) and try to see this movie; you will not regret it...

It is good to see a movie neither 'demonize' nor 'victimize' gay people. This is an extraordinary movie about everyday relationships of ordinary person , some of whom happen to be bears.

The characters in this film are flawed one way or another. But that's part of the charm: they all have their own problems like everyone else of us have and they are dealing with these problems like we all have to. Unlike many 'gay-themed' movies which focused on 'shock value', this movie is free from bitter or self-pity. It goes back to the basic friendship and family connection which is so brilliantly portrayed.

I adore the bubbly attitude the movie holds. When bad things happened,drugs, jail, disease, people in this movie just deal with the bad fortune the simplest way. no mess, no fuss.

It's clean and shinny , it's a breathe of fresh air from Europe.