Hunting Bears

This short film really hit a chord with me. Clocking in at 10 minutes, Hunting Bears is evenly paced and builds to a climatic conclusion. It focusses on the lives of two brothers; Kenny, who suffers with alzheimer's, and Andy, the youngest of the two, who is now Kenny's carer. The overall idea here is, "Who cares for the carer?", as it comes quite apparent that Andy is struggling with his new role as a 24/7 carer for his older brother.

Nathaniel Parker and Joel Beckett are magnificent in their roles. The director, Jason Ruddy, has directed and written a well rounded short here, that shows he is in control of what he wants to achieve with this piece. The cinematography is masterfully done and the soundtrack from Dave Rowntree fits the short perfectly. I will look forward to seeing what the director does next.

I throughly enjoyed this short film. It's dark, gritty and very real. All the right ingredients for a dark drama.

The acting from the main cast is superb, with Nathaniel Parker putting on a rememberable performance that is award worthy.

As it's short format, it's just 10 minutes, but I would have happily watched a much longer version of this to see the relationship between the brothers develop.

The soundtrack works really well with the mood and tone of the film, and adds another layer - as all soundtracks should.

It's a film I will revisit in the future and will definitely stay with me for the next few days. Looking forward to seeing what comes from the director, Jason Ruddy, next.

Jason Ruddy solidly crafts suspense in this short that will surprise you and lead you to reflect on societal standards and pressures regarding caretaking.

HUNTING BEARS is meaningful storytelling wrapped in (and upending) genre conventions. Worth the watch.

I came across this film online and felt compelled to rate and leave a user review after watching.

The film centres around two brothers; Kenny and Andy. Kenny has Alzheimer's and is in need of 24/7 care due to his condition. This is all left to Andy due to no help from the state and no other family members to help support. Due to the stress and pressure such a role can take on a carer, Andy often visits a childhood spot in the woods with Kenny to escape it all. However on this occasion something is not quite right, with Andy often on edge and angry at the situation he finds himself in.

The performances from the lead actors are superb. A lovely gem of a film for those that enjoy dark dramas with heavy themes.

I just watched Jason Ruddy's short film Hunting Bears, and wow, it really hit me. It's about two brothers: Kenny, who has Alzheimer's, and Andy, who's taking care of him. The story feels so real and heartbreaking, especially seeing how much Andy is struggling to balance love and frustration. You can tell he cares deeply, but the weight of it all is so heavy.

The setting really stuck with me too. Most of the film takes place in this snowy, quiet forest, and it's almost like the environment reflects their emotions-lonely, beautiful, and overwhelming all at once. The music adds another layer, making some scenes feel almost magical but in a bittersweet way.

Nathaniel Parker and Joel Beckett, who play the brothers, are incredible. Their performances felt so honest, especially in the smaller moments. There's one scene where they're just sitting together, and you can feel everything - love, sadness, and even a little hope - all without saying much.

If you've ever cared for someone or seen a loved one change because of illness, this film will stay with you. It's only 10 minutes long, but it packs so much emotion. It reminded me how complicated relationships can be, especially when life throws something as tough as Alzheimer's into the mix. Definitely worth a watch.