Brigsby Bear

“I’ve been an outlaw ever since I came into this world. It’s dope as shit.” What an incredible film. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect as I clicked play on Brigsby Bear, but I knew a lot of the key players involved (Lord and Miller, Andy Samberg, and of course the fantastic Mark Hamill) and thought I’d give it a shot. Brigsby Bear is a lot of things. It’s a movie about making a movie. It’s a movie about acclimating to the real world. It’s a movie about coping with trauma, stepping out of your comfort zone slowly, and learning to let go. At the same time, it’s beautiful and feels very genuine in its execution. I think the tonal shift of the movie is by far one of the most fascinating parts of it. The beginning gives off a very “post-apocalypse” vibe - the set design of James’s bunker is absolutely immaculate - and is very darkly lit; a stark contrast to the lighter lighting of the rest of the film as James acclimates to a whole new world so foreign to him. At the same time, his “adoptive” family is very cold; they shake hands at dinner and they don’t embrace for the most part. Once James is out, though, he finds friends who genuinely like him and want to help him succeed thanks to his sister being forced to bring him to a party with her. I love seeing him succeed! I’m very intrigued by the character of James himself. He is socially awkward and has a hyperfixation on Brigsby of course, but is this due to his long term social isolation, or due to some underlying cause such as the autism spectrum like myself? Either way, it’s undeniable that the focal theme of Brigsby Bear is James recovering from the traumas he has endured. He is naive, he is awkward, but most of all he is genuine. What’s not to love? Kyle Mooney did an excellent job in his portrayal, and if I were him I’d be very proud of this movie overall. I also like that this film let Mark Hamill shine as the all-around actor he is. Of course he’s great in live action, but he also gets to use his voice acting talents as well throughout the movie. I genuinely think he is one of my favorite (if not my absolute favorite) actors, and every movie he’s in he is a highlight. He feels so genuine when he talks to James, even if he and his wife abducted him and traumatized him. It almost makes you feel bad… almost. Of course, it is technically a comedy. However, I wouldn’t classify it as a laugh out loud comedy. A lot of its humor is intertwined in James adapting, both socially and by himself. There’s nothing wrong with that, though if you are a laugh out loud comedy guy it may not be the best film for you. In conclusion, Brigsby Bear is an absolutely wonderful piece and I think I’m going to recommend it to people if I ever get asked for recommendations. I would eagerly watch it again.