Want to hear more from the actors and creators of your favorite shows and films? Subscribe to The Cinema Spot on YouTube for all of our upcoming interviews!
Higher education professional by day, writer and pop culture enthusiast by night. When he isn't writing for The Cinema Spot, Tristian can be found creating content for his YouTube and TikTok pages, or working on the young adult novel he has been trying to finish for the last three years.
It is nice and refreshing to come across a film every now and then that does not require its viewers to think too much. In the age of cinematic universes, endless sequels, and highbrow independent films, it is nice to consume pieces of cinema that are just pure fun. Elizabeth Banks’s Cocaine Bear is a movie that will remind audiences that cinema can be pure, senseless escapism that makes you laugh uncontrollably.
Cocaine Bear Premise
This 1980s-set comedy horror thriller opens with a failed skydiving attempt that results in several pounds of cocaine landing in the wilderness. An American black bear just so happens to come across the cocaine, and after consuming a large amount, becomes insanely aggressive.
Several unlucky individuals just so happen to converge on the forest where the bear is located: two rebellious middle school kids (Brooklynn Prince and Christian Convery), a concerned mother (Keri Russel), a park ranger (Margo Martindale), a wildlife activist (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), a canine obsessed detective (Isiah Whitlock Jr.), a drug lord’s fixer (O’Shea Jackson Jr.), and the drug lord’s depressed son (Alden Ehrenreich). Although their reasons for being in the midst of the situation vary, all of these characters have to do their best to survive their encounter with the titular cocaine bear.
Discussion
Cocaine Bear is balls-to-the-walls fun from beginning to end. Its premise is absolutely insane, but it works as long as you sit back, relax, and just go with it. On a thematic level, it is akin to film adaptations of Mark Millar’s graphic novels such as Wanted, Kick-Ass, and Kingsman. That is to say the level of ultra-violence on display while the bear is mauling its victims to death is gory and will not sit well with everyone. There is one death, in particular, involving road rash that will haunt me for the rest of my life. Again, if you can look past some of the more extreme parts of the film, you will enjoy it.
Performances
Although this is not a very serious film, the actors involved are bringing their all. The astounding Keri Russell always brings it to any role she takes on, and that is no different here. She has a delightful transformation from a distracted, but concerned mother to a woman of action who is going to save the kids no matter what. She is just as ferocious as the bear when the situation calls for it, and it is great to watch.
O’Shea and Ehrenreich are a surprisingly hilarious duo. O’Shea’s character is supportive but annoyed with his friend’s depression. Ehenreich’s character is hilariously pathetic, and although he works for his unsavory father (Ray Liotta), you cannot help but feel for the guy. These two actors play off of each other well, and I would love to see the duo lead another comedic film together.
Margo Martindale is laugh-out-loud hilarious as the desperate-for-love park ranger who is absolutely terrible at her job. Although the actress is known for her more dramatic roles, you can tell she is having so much fun in this role. Jesse Tyler Ferguson as her oblivious boss does well in his role as well.
I would be remiss if I did not praise our child actors, Brooklynn Prince and Christian Convery, who bring such talent, heart, and comedy to their respective roles. Audiences can expect to see great things from these two young actors in the future.
Final Thoughts on Cocaine Bear
Cocaine Bear is an insane comedy-thriller that will keep audiences laughing, gasping, and maybe even wincing, throughout its runtime.
Higher education professional by day, writer and pop culture enthusiast by night. When he isn't writing for The Cinema Spot, Tristian can be found creating content for his YouTube and TikTok pages, or working on the young adult novel he has been trying to finish for the last three years.
This article was edited by John Tangalin.