User reviews

'Brigsby Bear' is a dark story told with a light touch. Though much of the material covered is upsetting, it never does more than dip a toe into these waters. A handful of dark jokes are delivered with an "aww shucks" charm that seems bashful about presenting anything too deep. It's more comfortable frolicking with the amusing awkward humor and writing a love letter to quirky creativity.

Without spoiling anything, the plot is a bit difficult to outline. A young man named James (Kyle Mooney) has lived a life of isolation. He knows very little about social cues, popular culture and virtually all common knowledge. One thing he knows everything about is his favorite show (and the only show he has ever seen), Brigsby Bear.

What James doesn't realize is that the show was made only for him, to teach him lessons and to manipulate him. No one else has ever seen it. When it abruptly ends, James wants to make a movie and give his beloved characters the ending they deserve.

James's adaption into a world unfamiliar to him makes for a messy situation, especially for his family. No one knows how to handle it. They all want what is best for James, but none of them are sure what that is. His family tries to impose their interests onto James instead of taking an interest in what he likes.

His new friends understand him better, or at least, they make a better effort to do so. Through these interactions, we see how special James is and how he doesn't need to change just so he can fit in with everyone else. There's a heartfelt message here about acceptance and pursuing passions, even if not everyone understands them.

At times, the story features extremely dark jokes, pushing boundaries. It takes a tremendously upsetting situation and inserts jokes that create such a paradox that my body physically struggled to laugh. I'm not sure what that means. It seems like an indication that the combination didn't quite work. The joke didn't quite land, and the heavy material is left only partially explored.

The film struggles with nuance in the more challenging moments. It's a little hesitant or reluctant to dig deep and make the circumstances hard on the characters. It softens the edges and makes things too easy and too light and too dumbed down. Certain bits of dialogue spell out too much, as if the filmmakers weren't sure enough of their visual storytelling to leave certain elements unsaid.

The story arcs felt a bit underwritten and unearned. A moment of growth in a character simply happens because it's supposed to-we're not shown sufficient reason for it to occur.

Despite the flaws, this is a charming film. I only point out the imperfections because I see great potential. This could have been a classic. Instead, it's merely a likable and unique comedy that will surely have its supporters (I'm one of them). Perhaps Kyle Mooney's next film will ascend to the level of a classic.

Another nice indie film that will especially appeal to people who enjoy offbeat type of comedies, Brigsby Bear is certainly one of those. It starts on quite a serious note and for a while it seems this could evolve in a straight drama story but it takes an unexpected lighthearted turn and stays within that frame until the end.

It is interesting that the plot line on this site does not exactly reveal the main reason why the Brigsby Bear show abruptly ends and it is a good thing in my opinion since it keeps things more interesting.

There are a few things about the story that seem completely unrealistic and might bother some people but I think we should keep in mind that it is a comedy film and it's main goal is to put forward a positive message about the importance of friendship and never giving up your goals and dreams no matter how far fetched they sometimes seem and Brigsby Bear does that and manages to be a heartwarming film despite it's unusual storyline. I would personally recommend you to watch it if you want to see something different.

The initial releases - theater and home combined - grossed about $700,000 worldwide. The producers aren't telling what the budget was. Who knows if the revenue covered the production cost. But it sure didn't come close to the $5 million Sony pitched in to distribute it. Maybe they're hoping that over time it'll become a cult classic online.

I hope so too. The film deserves success. It's a spirited paean of praise to the transformative power of art and imagination. Of course the "plausibles," as Hitchcock called them, don't warm up to it. But for those willing to be carried along by a vibrant and positive vision, told with a quiet sense of humor, Brigsby Bear hits all the right notes.

This film tells the story of a young man who grew up with a television show about a bear.

The story quickly unfolds to a surprising path, and it is very engaging and emotional. It is a sweet tale of a young man finding his way in a new world, and the immense support he receives around him. The film could have taken a dark and depressing tone, but instead it keeps a light tone most of the time, with serious scenes inserted at the right intervals. It is a very heart warming story.

Reviewing a film like "Brigsby Bear" is very difficult in the manner by which I review films because it is important to me to keep my reviews as spoiler-free as possible. That being said, understand that my take here will be at a "10,000-foot level," meaning that I have to tell you as little as possible about the film itself to keep its integrity intact.

Kyle Mooney has written the script (along with Kevin Costello) and plays James Pope, who lives in the desert with Ted (Mark Hamill) and April (Jane Adams). He spends most of his time watching his favorite show, "Brigsby Bear," a children's program that has captured his imagination for his entire life. When the show is cancelled out of nowhere, James decides to take it upon himself to finish Brigsby's story.

This is such a different kind of film that it was refreshing to me. Mooney, who is known in the current "SNL" cast for playing kooky, off- beat kinds of characters, channels those talents here and gives James a fun innocence that a character like this requires as the film progresses. His character's journey to fulfill his dream of closure and completion is well told in a way that hit me where I lived one moment, had me laughing out loud the next, and rooting for him in the moment after that. There is a great supporting cast here as well, but to talk too much about them will give away too much of the heart of this film.

It truly is important to go into "Brigsby Bear" as cold as you possibly can, avoiding any Internet spoilers in any way, shape, or form in order to truly enjoy its story as a whole. Once you see it and enjoy it, also do everyone else a favor and let them experience it in the same spoiler-free manner that hopefully you did as well.

"Brigsby Bear" is one of the more original movies I've ever seen....and for that reason alone, it's well worth watching. However, I also should point out that some of the plot and characters don't make a lot of sense...as if the story could have used a slight re-write before they began filming.

The story begins in a nice home with two parents and their grown son, James (Kyle Mooney). However, you also realize that they are locked into some sort of shelter-like home and soon the FBI barge in and arrest the parents. You then learn that they are NOT James' parents but folks who kidnapped him as a baby. To prevent him leaving, they created a strange bunker world and convinced him that the outside world was filled with poisonout gas! They also made their own music and TV show just for James...and James loves the over 700 episodes of "Brigsby Bear" they made him!

So why do I have mixed feelings about this movie? Well, because it made little sense AFTER the man was rescued and brought to his biological family. They only went to family counseling sometime AFTER this reunion...and, not surprisingly, the reunion did not go well. You would think there would have been TONS of counseling and education done with James and his new family to make the transition work well....but he was just tossed in and folks acted surprised when things didn't go well. Additionally, a few of the characters made little sense...such as the police detective (Greg Kinnear) or the biological father.

Now my complaints, though valid, do NOT negate all the good in the film. Mooney is wonderful as James, the film kept me guessing and after a rough transition, things DO get better...so just hold on and enjoy the ride. Well worth seeing, though the film could have been brilliant. As is, it's just very good but flawed.

I know that tastes can't change overnight, but it's a shame that audiences can't gravitate more to movies like this. Films like this are very rare, due to the fact that they'll hardly ever snag a major release by a large studio. Not to compare the two, but last year's release of Swiss Army Man was so unique and weird that I ate it up, and I felt the exact same way about this year's Brigsby Bear, which could very well end up being my absolute favorite film of the year. Unique films are a breath of fresh air, but not all of them are great, because the stories themselves may not explore enough to truly warrant award recognition. Although Brigsby Bear won't be winning any major awards this season, here is why it's a wonderful piece of cinema in my eyes.

From first-time feature film writer Kyle Mooney and direct time feature film director Dave McCary, Brigsby Bear follows James Pope, a young man with a backstory that I can't reveal throughout this review, who has only ever seen one television show, called Brigsby Bear. When there aren't any more episodes coming out, he sets out on a mission with a few others to finish the show themselves. Becoming a filmmaker, gaining new friends, and learning many moving and comedic life lessons, this is a story worth showcasing to a very large audience. Unique, weird, and powerful all at once, this movie is elevated by a wonderfully sincere and comedic performance by Kyle Mooney as the lead.

It's very rare that a comedian can be simultaneously funny and dramatic at the same time, making it truly seem that this is a real-world scenario unfolding on-screen. Not only did this story feel authentic to me, but it touched me on a personal level in terms of how there would definitely be people like this if certain situations were to present themselves to the world. Mooney is an actor that I believe many people should keep an eye on. Sure, his YouTube career is where he started and he's most known for his role on Saturday Night Live, but he's one of those rare performers that I believe will break out and become very famous in years to come.

I truly believe that this is a flawless film for the story it's trying to convey. No film is perfect, but a film can be done perfectly when looked at a certain way, and I believe film lovers and even filmmakers themselves will be the ones who love this film the most. Original ideas are slim to none throughout mainstream media nowadays, but I dare you to come up with a premise like this throughout the past ten years. Yes, there are always similarities in every story, but when a film can surprise you even in its first act, it's something special.

In the end, Brigsby Bear is a perfect little indie film for fans of cinema, well-written, well-directed, calmly scored with care, and wrapped in a nice little bow of uniqueness. I found myself wanting to rewatch this movie the second it concluded. Although short and to the point at a mere 97 minutes, there are many hidden elements that will elevate the movie even more upon second and third viewings. I'm sure the fact that it's so weird will turn some audiences away from fully enjoying it, but like I said, hardcore film lovers and filmmakers of any kind are truly the ones that will most likely love Brigsby Bear. This is easily one of the best films I've seen all year.

Starts off a bit weird/sad then gets to be one of the most joyful and inspirational pieces of art in film. A very well written and adorable story, even written by the main actor (Kyle Mooney) James Pope, about how he's basically obsessed with Brigsby Bear and wants to make a movie about it, which is lovely. Purely delightful cult almost family flick! Also this is my 240th review which is awesome!

I'm still teary from the last few minutes of the movie, did not think it would be this emotional.

Kyle Mooney is so incredibly subtle with his acting that if you haven't seen much of his previous work, I'm positive most of the parts I was laughing out loud at, you would probably be wondering what was so funny. He is a fantastic character actor and he really pulls off a new subtle character in James, which is kind of an amalgamation of his most well known characters from his Youtube skit days, perhaps a little more naive than normal.

There wasn't a weak actor in the entire film, but besides Mooney I would give special praise to Mark Hamill, although he only has a few scenes on camera, his presence is felt throughout the entire movie, through his voicing of Brigsby etc. I actually thought Hamill was better used here than in "The Last Jedi"..

I'm not much of a critic, I can't summarise exactly what I loved about the movie very well. I will say though that the movie is superbly bitter sweet, mostly sweet, endearing and charming. And of course, absolutely hilarious, but as above, you may need either repeat viewings or be an already established fan of Mooneys work.

Finally want to mention Dave McCary. Dave and Kyle are the perfect pairing. I absolutely loved their Youtube skits and even that amazing Instagram series they made (it's called the "D and K podcast", look it up). For his first feature length film, there is no way you would be able to tell. The movie is very well directed, I tend to pay attention to how a movie is shot, put together etc, but with this it was always characters first, which I think is a great strength.

This movie is inspirational. I can't wait to see what these guys come up with next.

Unexpected little comedy from Kyle Mooney, who co-wrote and stars, and is a sweet presence as a man-child suddenly thrust out into the real world after living a very, very constricted existence. In an era where so many comedies are loud and raucous and determined to wring laughs out of vulgarity, this one's small and quiet, and as it progresses, it shows you the best of humanity, in a convincing way. That's the word for it, humane. But it's also... far-fetched is too mild. The central conceit makes no sense: WHY did the Mark Hamill and Jane Adams characters subject him to this? Was it some sort of mind experiment? Something else? Give us a line or two that explains the premise, and I'll raise it to an 8.

It's hard to imagine an audience much beyond five or six that wouldn't be bored by this. It's like a much less funny, much more earnest Napolean Dynamite. It is so lacking in edge that it is virtually a marshmallow of inconsequential sequences strung together by emotions which it touts but doesn't really possess or elicit. It's a hipster's fairy tale that mistakes overly calculated naivete for heart and substitutes empty quirk for wit. It goes from A to B and takes forever to get there. If that ride had as much charm as this pretends to have, it might have made it a worthwhile trip. Sadly, it does not.

Brigsby Bear is one of the most creative and original movies I've seen.

The performance by Kyle Mooney was great and it didn't feel like some SNL sketch kind of acting and story.

It's also great to note that the supporting cast in this movie is also good not only for their acting but also purpose and relativity.

So I just saw Brigsby Bear and it was surprising pretty good. For whatever reason I went into this thinking it was gonna be mediocre. So I was happy to have my expectation be exceeded. The acting from Kyle Mooney as our protagonist James Pope was probably best out of the entire cast. He reminds me a bit of the character that Kyle made up for his YouTube channel earlier in his career, where he plays a sort of autistic stoned dude who interviews people at conventions or special events. They are some of my favorite videos on YouTube. So there was definitely some inspiration there for this character James and it works. The few problems I did have with it were either pretty nitpicky or parts of the story towards the end that I felt could've been made more realistic. Nevertheless I'm excited to see what Kyle comes out with next. I recommended checking this one out. And I'm giving this one a 7/10. It may be a 6 on my second watch who knows.

Brigsby Bear is an incredibly unique, bold and original film that's well paced, consistently funny, heartwarming and emotional. It's also a beautiful love letter to cinema itself and a lovely film about acceptance and friendship. Kyle Mooney gives an incredible lead performance. Mark Hamill, Greg Kinnear, Matt Walsh, Michaela Watkins and Jorge Lendeborg Jr. all give great supporting performances. Andy Samberg is also really good in his small part. Dave McCary's direction is fantastic and it's extremely well filmed. Also, the music by David Wingo is amazing.

While the theme of the movie "abduction or kidnapping" is a bit serious the storyline itself is just a quirky unusual comedy. There are some similarities with real life abduction experiences as The Stockholm Syndrome where you feel sympathy for your torturer or the one that put you in an unwanted situation. In this case the main character continues to live in his fantasy world, the one of Brigsby Bear. That's the funny part of the movie, his fixation on what Brigsby Bear would do in any situation. Discovering the world and everything he missed out on seems not that important as the continuation of the Brigsby saga. The acting was really good from the whole cast. I had some good laughs with some scenes. Overall I enjoyed this movie much more than I expected I would.

Kyle Mooney, a current member of SNL, stars & co-wrote this extremely likeable fable that could've veered into an exploitative exercise rather than the quirky, amusing take we are given. An infant is abducted by a couple & raised in isolation to the point where a TV show is made specifically for him by his captors to entertain him not knowing the show would eventually become the focal point of his life now that he's freed. I expected a disaster since Mooney's humor on SNL can be hit or miss but this one he hits out of the park.

Silly, sad, sweet, & sincere - it never takes the easy or conventional path; Kyle Mooney & Mark Hamill bring an unexpected innocence to their performances; the audience for this will be as unique as the film itself.

'Brigsby Bear (2017) is a bizarre film that's weirdly not quite brazen enough in its weirdness to carry the charm closely attached with the kind of 'love it or hate it', out-there entertainment it so clearly wants to be. Though it chooses a truly odd, refreshingly unique and nicely non-judgmental framing device, it ultimately tells a fairly by-the-numbers yet freshly non-cynical fish-out-of-water storyteller story. It ultimately suffers from strange pacing and a bog-standard structure, though. It falls in to the recently reoccurring trend of somewhat low-key meta media about making movies and, in this case, both the apparent unmitigated joy and closure that provides, but it tries to force this into a narrative rife with references to an underlying plot so much more interesting and full of vigour that neither of the two strands get the time they deserve. As such, they feel like they are competing for screen time, almost totally at odds with one another even though they are strangely inseparable. While neither is fully formed, they do both have their fleeting moments of charm, wit and emotional resonance . Its parallels to 'The Disaster Artist (2017)', with its celebration of so called 'trash art', are highly noticeable (if coincidental) too. 6/10.

I went into this without knowing anything about it, and I think you should do the same, its a really weird movie that could have gone completely wrong if it would have fallen into the wrong hands, but the people behind this really wanted to tell this peculiar story.

Its pretty enjoyable, very original, well made, with likable characters and really good performances. It could have been really dumb and obnoxious but almost every aspect of it its done carefully so it doesn't fall into the same trap many irritating movies fall with these subjects and ideas. It dragged a little bit towards the middle and its somewhat predictable but none of that ruins the movie as a whole.

An interesting movie about passion and nostalgia, and how it could affect your life in a huge way. Like John Waters said "Without obsession, life is nothing."