User reviews

With such a vague synopsis I had no idea what this film was even about before I went to see it. The name "Big Bear" was about as informative as a tap dancing monkey too. I was drawn to it because I saw that Tyler Labine was in the bill and I love a lot of his work (stemming from his brilliant performance in the "Reaper" series from way back in the day!). So, did this film live up to my expectations? Well, yes in the respect to the fact that I had no expectations going into watching I film I had no idea as to its plot. No in respect to everything else.

Big Bear felt like a re-hash of the Hangover but it was darker and a lot less funny. The movie centres around Joe, who was due to marry his fiancé but she broke up with him prior to the bachelor party. We come in on the night of what was supposed to be the bachelor party. Despite his reluctance, Joe's friends (Labine and Co.) force him to have a fun night and we flash forward to the next morning when the are somewhat hungover. Unlike the original "Hangover" movie where the premise is to find a lost friend, "Big Bear" takes a darker route when Joe finds someone tied up in the basement thanks to one of his friends. I won't elude to any other plot points since I don't want to spoil anything, but I think I would have wanted to know these bare bones going in to watch it myself.

From this brief synopsis you can tell that this movie is going to have traditional and dark humour, which it does. There are some jokes that made me chuckle, but the vast majority fell quite flat. I tried to like this movie, because I do think Tyler Labine is one of the most under-rated actors today, but this movie was a bit disappointing. The characters were under-developed so we never got attached to any of them. Additionally, the plot was very one-dimensional and presented us with nothing original.

It's a shame, because even though I am not a film-maker, I could even come up with better plot and sub-plot points to make this movie more interesting. But, in its current state, I would personally give this movie a miss even though it has a short running time.

Written directed, and...starring....joe kern. Another group of four guys having a bachelor party for their buddy. In big bear, california. The twist here is that joe has already been dumped by his fiancee. And doesn't want to talk about it. But of course, the other three insist on hearing the whole story. And they kidnap the fiancee's new boyfriend. Who is not happy about being held hostage. It's very talky. So much discussion about what went right and what went wrong in joe and jess' relationship. Joe kern's real ex has stated that this is one interpretation of their breakup. It's mostly arguing and stress. It needed to either have more comedy, or be more of a suspense drama. And it does turn into a drama, about halfway through. One interesting connection... the cop that comes the cabin also was the voice of kahn on the series king of the hill. It's okay. It could have used more comedy.

This film tells the story of four men, who meet for a weekend for a bachelor party two weeks before the wedding. However, they find out that the wedding is not happening because the fiancée dumped him just that morning.

"Big Bear" starts out as an epic party, but the it soon turns into a serious situation when they find a man tied up in the basement. Then, the film gets serious as it delves into why the fiancée dumped him. It is still pretty funny despite its introspective nature of the comedy.

I would not say this is a comedy but I guess that was the idea. Do not think you are going to see anything close to the hangover because this is not and it doesn't pretend to be. I do not see the point of the movie, couple of familiar faces make you think it has to be good but it is not. I would skip this one, nothing worth your time here. The ending is better than the rest , I will give them that.

This movie was so bad. It looked like it was going to be a comedy but it is a terrible movie. It doesn't make you laugh. The script is awful. The acting is bad. It's a B movie. It shouldn't make it to the movie theaters. This movie was terrible, just terrible. DOn't waste your time. There's nothing to see here.

Bad movie, Slow movie, It struggle to get you interested. Shame there is no warning about time wasters.

This is the movie I've been looking for all summer. Big bear is a indie film written and directed by Joey Kern, the main character of the movie. This fact is readily apparent do to the sharp directing and pacing of the movie. There aren't any real lull moments in Big Bear, it's just a jump from one drunken disaster to the next that the characters have to deal with which makes the movie endlessly entertaining from front to back. The fast pace of the film makes the 87 minute run time feel even shorter, after watching the movie, I was hungry for more of this gang of bros hi-jinks. The acting coming from Joey Kern is on point and jumps from sullen moments of self-pity to fist-shaking righteous fury. It shows the full scope of Joey's acting ability and he takes advantage of every single scene. Despite Joe's (the character) many faults, the audience can't help but to sympathize with his plight. I'd recommend this movie anyone looking to enjoy their afternoon with their friends. You won't regret it.

I read "comedy" about this "very bad movie" but it's too pathetic, too badly done too lame, that I think it's a drama and I've cried because I'm so sorry for people who make this dud !

NOT a b movie like one comment suggests. Better than a lot of movies in theaters last year. Comedy that feels real because of good actors but is well filmed and funny. Good description of panic attacks. I'd pay money for this movie and I haven't bought a movie in years. Give it a watch.

Big Bear took me through high waves of laughter in between moments of calm water with its mix of drama and comedy. Though the metaphor of the movie's name isn't truly appreciated until mid-way through the movie, Joey Kern's directorial debut film Big Bear questions the twists and turns of life. The moment when Kern's character (Joe) thinks he has reached his peak, but is misdirected captivated me. Kern, who directed, wrote, and starred in the film, does an impeccable job of demystifying the main character's daily struggles. The intensity of Joe's life is dissected in front of the readers with short flashbacks that slowly pile up. With each comparison to his fiancée's's lover, Joe finds himself falling down a dark rabbit hole. By adding so much backstory and combing down to every detail including Joe's career, I am able to connect with the main character's struggles in an unexpected way. Kern slowly develops different aspects of the character's life until the climactic ending (cue the Big Bear metaphor). This buddy-movie reminds me that no one is truly alone in their struggles and that a 'rebirth' isn't always the end of the world. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who is feeling down or is just looking for a good laugh.

Being a huge fan of cringe-worthy comedy, Big Bear does a stupendous job with creating an awkward atmosphere, where the true colors of the characters come out and shock viewers each time the plot thickens. It's a dramedy about groom-to-be Joe (Joey Kern) who spends a couple days in a cabin with three other friends who soon find out that Joe's fiancée is cheating on him with another man. Director Joey Kern successfully binds the heartfelt bro-moments amid disaster with the oafish reactions of revenge-driven friends to appease Joe's broken heart. Honestly, the slap-stick humor in this film mixed with the messed-up actions of the stone-cold bride-to-be kept me at the edge of my seat. I connected with Joe as he tried to get his emotions straight after consulting with his friends. The comradery grown in this film was satisfying and made it well worth the watch!

This movie is like a newer, less overdone version of the hangover. There are twists and turns that keep you in. Good jokes, some dark comedy, and a recently made movie vibe. The actors are attractive enough to be good to look at, but believable as ordinary people. The filming is NOT that of a b movie at all like some of these comments claim, the camera work, the script and the acting are way better than some of the movies in theaters last year that got a lot attention. If you like comedy give this a watch

As a self-proclaimed comedy movie aficionado, I really like what Joey Kern has created here. Big Bear is a movie that can appeal to more than just comedy lovers. This movie mixes slapstick humor with a touch of dark revenge and tops it off with real emotional struggles that most can relate to. But what made the movie, for me at least, was how well cast it was. Joey Kern, being the writer and director, seemed to be able to portray the heartbroken, emotionally torn male lead in a way that only the creator of the character could. Aside from Kern, it was interesting to see characters like Adam Brody and Pablo Schreiber in different roles than what may be considered their usual like in The O.C. or Orange Is The New Black. Brody seemed to not hold anything back, even getting slightly creepy, as a very James-Franco-type crazed best friend. Overall, this movie won me over and I would definitely recommend if you are looking for a laugh.

Movie was a good pace. Funny and did have surprises even though it's obvious the journey with the main character is what makes the move great.

This was a funny movie I would recommend it,watch it on an afternoon when you have nothing else to do,entertaining enough I enjoy it