Film Review: Brigsby Bear (Dave McCary, 2017) ★★★★

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James Pope (Kyle Mooney) lives a simple life. Inside an underground bunker, he loves nothing more than his favourite TV show - Brigsby Bear Adventures; with no idea that it is produced only for him. However, when the show abruptly ends, James' life changes forever. 

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Written by and starring Kyle Mooney, Brigsby Bear tells the story of a young man, James, who has been raised in a bunker by Ted and April (Mark Hamill and Jane Adams). He's lived a secluded yet seemingly happy life - blissfully unaware that those he believes to be his parents are actually his kidnappers. of the world outside the bunker, Ted and April raised James to believe that the air outside is toxic, breathable only through a gas mask, but they can all survive so long as James keeps topping up the bicycle-powered electric generator and doing his maths homework. However, very quickly in to our narrative - James is found by police and returned to his biological parents; whom he had no knowledge of. Once in his new home and immersed in the new world around him, he makes friends who help him on his journey of discovery.

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Some may be relieved to know that Brigsby Bear is actually nothing like that of the SNL comedy from which saw Mooney's rise to fame. Despite being produced by comedy trio The Lonely Island (Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone), the film has a surprisingly dry sense of humour. Whilst there are, of course, moments which will leave audiences laughing out loud, Brigsby Bear can take pride in it's wit and subtle, yet clever anecdotes.

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Inevitably, Brigsby Bear brings to mind several comparisons - Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015 TV Show), The Truman Show (1998) and, more recently, Room (2015). But whilst the subject matter may be dark at times, the 'kidnapping' itself is not the main focus of the narrative. Even upon visiting Ted (Hamill) in prison, there is no sense of ill-will. Instead, Brigsby Bear is very much about James' connection with creativity and new found love of movies - creating movies. "Can anyone make movies?" he asks his biological parents. Having only known one TV show all his life, the sudden realisation that he too can build something is really what moulds the story. It also has an incredibly uplifting and endearing quality which, alongside the cinematography and charming ascetic, is what makes the film so beautiful. 

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The show, Brigsby Bear Adventures, in itself, is actually a work of art - masterminded by Mooney and his childhood friends. From the makeshift design to the amusing catchphrases of it's characters, the fake TV show wonderfully captured 90's nostalgia. So much so it could be confused for a real television programme. Think Polka Dot Shots meets Sesame Street. Shot on VHS tapes, and running over 33 episodes, we soon learn that Ted is actually the shows creator - he stars in a plush bear suit as Brigsby; alongside aspiring actress (Kate Lyn Sheil) as sidekick twins, and the evil solar-being that is Sunsnatcher (also Hamill). This level of detail, used throughout the film, is truly what makes it so immersive and enjoyable to watch. 

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Of course, not entirely without fault, it could be argued that Brigsby Bear lacks the depths of it's comparative films. The story itself may seem simple but instead it focuses on detail and creativity. And despite a surprisingly shorter running time of just 1 hour 40 mins, it does a fantastic job of pacing the narrative to keep you transfixed as it progresses. Overall, Brigsby Bear has secured itself a place in my top films of 2017. In terms of humour, visuals and the sheer joy it brings, it really does tick all the boxes. And so, Brigsby Bear gets a Sophie star rating of 4 out of 5 stars. I can't wait to see this again in cinemas on December 8th.

That's it for another film review, are you planning on seeing Brigsby Bear this December? What have been some of your favourite films of the year so far? As always, I love reading your comments so please do leave me lots of lovely ones below.

Until next time film fans,