Cocaine Bear (2023)
February 25, 2023 10:43 AM - Subscribe
[TRAILER] An oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists, and teens converge in a Georgia forest where a 500-pound black bear goes on a murderous rampage after unintentionally ingesting cocaine.
Starring Keri Russell, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Christian Convery, Alden Ehrenreich, Brooklynn Prince, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Margo Martindale, and a final screen appearance from the late Ray Liotta.
Directed by Elizabeth Banks. Written by Jimmy Warden. Produced by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Aditya Sood, Elizabeth Banks, Max Handelman, Brian Duffield. Music by Mark Mothersbaugh.
71% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
Now playing in theaters. JustWatch listing.
Starring Keri Russell, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Christian Convery, Alden Ehrenreich, Brooklynn Prince, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Margo Martindale, and a final screen appearance from the late Ray Liotta.
Directed by Elizabeth Banks. Written by Jimmy Warden. Produced by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Aditya Sood, Elizabeth Banks, Max Handelman, Brian Duffield. Music by Mark Mothersbaugh.
71% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
Now playing in theaters. JustWatch listing.
I'm seeing it Tuesday and it's embarrassing how god damned excited I am!
posted by miss-lapin at 11:05 AM on February 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by miss-lapin at 11:05 AM on February 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
This is absolutely deadpan and humorous.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:51 AM on February 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:51 AM on February 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
On the soundtrack:
White Lines (Cocaine Bear Remix) - Pusha T
posted by box at 12:08 PM on February 25, 2023
White Lines (Cocaine Bear Remix) - Pusha T
posted by box at 12:08 PM on February 25, 2023
I took the running joke with the ranger to be less, haha, she's old and fat and more as another example of the film's interest in personal lives bleeding through to working lives. You've got drug lord stuck babysitting his grandson, drug lord scion in weepy mourning, detective struggling with unexpected devotion to his ridiculous new dog, petty criminal who thinks a lot about mental health, and yeah, hard-nosed ranger who would also like to nail that wildlife survey guy.
It also helps that it was Margo Martindale, who can sell anything.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:00 AM on February 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
It also helps that it was Margo Martindale, who can sell anything.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:00 AM on February 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
yeah, I heard from someone who saw it, which I have not yet, that it was "Margo Martindale Being Sexy".
posted by corb at 12:42 PM on February 27, 2023
posted by corb at 12:42 PM on February 27, 2023
Watched this last night. Hadn't been out to the theater in a while and I kind of just figured, why not?
Absolutely one of the worst films I've seen in ages. Absolutely boring. I don't think there was a single setup or joke that landed, way too many characters and character plots that were thin and bland. There are bits and pieces where it almost works, they commit to some good gore but there's nothing else going on. It also has little bear cubs that are into the cocaine which I just found really sad and depressing?
I'd recommend Piranha 3-D or Deep Blue Sea as much better and cohesive films.
posted by Neronomius at 4:46 PM on February 28, 2023
Absolutely one of the worst films I've seen in ages. Absolutely boring. I don't think there was a single setup or joke that landed, way too many characters and character plots that were thin and bland. There are bits and pieces where it almost works, they commit to some good gore but there's nothing else going on. It also has little bear cubs that are into the cocaine which I just found really sad and depressing?
I'd recommend Piranha 3-D or Deep Blue Sea as much better and cohesive films.
posted by Neronomius at 4:46 PM on February 28, 2023
I just saw it. It's definitely a movie that is married to the 80s, not just in terms of the aesthetic, but in terms of tropes and characters. I mean the 80s was the period of movies like Teen Wolf, Weird Science, Vibes, My Science Project, and Earth Girls are Easy. Taking a news story that happened in the 80s and turning into an 80s movie is brilliant.
My favorite part of the movie was actually the violent beginning part like the ambulance attack and the kids finding the bag-once I got passed the cop on the gazebo, for me most of the fun was over as it is just two groups racing to the bear cave. But again thanks to the 80s the movie ties itself up sweetly and quickly at an hour and a half so it's well paced.
I will say the one place it fell down was 80s lingo and references. I can see not wanting to go too hard on that, but the way the characters spoke was not very true to films of that era. But that's a pretty minor quibble.
posted by miss-lapin at 7:50 PM on February 28, 2023 [3 favorites]
My favorite part of the movie was actually the violent beginning part like the ambulance attack and the kids finding the bag-once I got passed the cop on the gazebo, for me most of the fun was over as it is just two groups racing to the bear cave. But again thanks to the 80s the movie ties itself up sweetly and quickly at an hour and a half so it's well paced.
I will say the one place it fell down was 80s lingo and references. I can see not wanting to go too hard on that, but the way the characters spoke was not very true to films of that era. But that's a pretty minor quibble.
posted by miss-lapin at 7:50 PM on February 28, 2023 [3 favorites]
There is apparently an online petition for there to be a sequel named Meth Gator.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 5:51 AM on March 1, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 5:51 AM on March 1, 2023 [5 favorites]
Ecstasy Wolf. Acid Hog.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 6:27 AM on March 1, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 6:27 AM on March 1, 2023 [3 favorites]
Ecstasy wolf would not be horror though?
posted by Zumbador at 6:31 AM on March 1, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Zumbador at 6:31 AM on March 1, 2023 [3 favorites]
Nyquil Hedgie
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 7:04 AM on March 1, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 7:04 AM on March 1, 2023 [5 favorites]
Angel Dust Owl. Bath Salts Cougar.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:21 AM on March 1, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:21 AM on March 1, 2023 [3 favorites]
Keri Russell & Margo Martindale: The Americans reunion!
posted by kirkaracha at 1:04 PM on March 1, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by kirkaracha at 1:04 PM on March 1, 2023 [3 favorites]
The guy falling out of the sky with cocaine was also the main Drew Thompson plot of season 4 of Justified.
posted by kirkaracha at 1:08 PM on March 1, 2023
posted by kirkaracha at 1:08 PM on March 1, 2023
Freebase Falcon.
Crackodile.
Huffing Huffing Hippo.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:28 PM on March 2, 2023 [3 favorites]
Crackodile.
Huffing Huffing Hippo.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:28 PM on March 2, 2023 [3 favorites]
Yeah, this is definitely a “The Americans” reboot in my head. Good lord, it has 1980s Keri Russell hefting a sniper rifle whilst rescuing a kid named Henry. I assume she’s courting the physician because he’s a DoD contractor or something. 😁
posted by Mr. Excellent at 2:02 PM on March 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Mr. Excellent at 2:02 PM on March 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
Here's what you need to know before you see "Cocaine Bear."
posted by rhizome at 5:26 PM on March 3, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by rhizome at 5:26 PM on March 3, 2023 [7 favorites]
Keri Russell & Margo Martindale: The Americans reunion!
Matthew Rhys cameo in the opening scenes!
I really enjoyed this! Bit too gory in some places but fun.
posted by ellieBOA at 10:09 AM on March 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
Matthew Rhys cameo in the opening scenes!
I really enjoyed this! Bit too gory in some places but fun.
posted by ellieBOA at 10:09 AM on March 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
It wasn’t perfect, but I had a hell of a lot of fun with this. I laughed really hard when Matthew Rhys was uncovered. Probably the only complaint I have is the section of the movie in the cave or whatever where it was way too dark.
I really really hope there’s a sequel with the mom and cubs on a quest for more cocaine. I could see that being a great straight to streaming thing for Netflix or somebody like that.
posted by jzb at 9:15 AM on March 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
I really really hope there’s a sequel with the mom and cubs on a quest for more cocaine. I could see that being a great straight to streaming thing for Netflix or somebody like that.
posted by jzb at 9:15 AM on March 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
watching it right now a few months after the fact
Definitely the best thing I've seen all night.
posted by philip-random at 11:12 PM on June 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
Definitely the best thing I've seen all night.
posted by philip-random at 11:12 PM on June 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
I finally saw this. I don't really like movies where everyone has to be as dumb as possible or it doesn't work, but this one leaned into it's 'cocaine bear-ness' and was at best ok. Funny in some spots.
posted by The_Vegetables at 10:27 AM on August 14, 2023
posted by The_Vegetables at 10:27 AM on August 14, 2023
Ha haaaaaaa! It was everything I thought it would be.
And now I'm thinking maybe it had something at once phenomenally stupid and a tiny bit clever to say about the world.
So it opens with a quick, lazy-no-brainer primer on eighties drug PSAs of course starting with "brainondrugs," and then it proceeds throughout the movie to do a billion also deliberately lazy no-brainer callbacks to the zeitgeist and tropes of the drugged-out eighties. (I just realized it was Ray Liotta on purpose because Goodfellas.) (Which came out in 1990, but come on: it was an eighties movie.)
Cocaine Bear was dumbonpurpose like its great great grandma and grandpa, Snakes on a Plane and Sharknado, but the addition of "Ha ha, this is the eighties, y'all!" made it deliciously stupidsmart, too.
Because of the "ha ha, eighties, whee" aspect of it, the "cocaine" in it does not have any of the boring limitations of C17H21NO4. And the "bear" in it is liberated entirely from responsibilities assigned to Ursus americanus. You might argue that you could say the same thing about the plane and the snakes or the tornado and the sharks, but naw. Neither is making a comment about an actual phenomenon, and this movie is.
They are eighties coke and eighties bear. So movie magic can occur because, bibbity bobbity boo, the bear now does not have to immediately OD and die and leave its cubs orphans as it would if it were a real bear that ate real coke. Instead, thanks to fairy godmother Nancy Reagan, it can run 80MPH and open doors and fly through the air like a sugar glider and pass out on top of a teen thug and wake up surrounded by guys with guns but not get shot and then when it does get shot and fall off a cliff, just a sniff of the fairy dust and it's back to eviscerating annoying yuppie hiker couples and having endless coke-fueled ragers in the woods with its little ones, happily ever after! Yay!
I think it's mostly saying "ha-har!" but in part it is also saying, "Our national stance on substances and addiction has always been and continues to be magical thinking. Do you doubt? Let us spend an hour or so in the epically fun and hilarious magical forest where everything the TV said about drugs is true!"
posted by Don Pepino at 8:04 AM on August 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
And now I'm thinking maybe it had something at once phenomenally stupid and a tiny bit clever to say about the world.
So it opens with a quick, lazy-no-brainer primer on eighties drug PSAs of course starting with "brainondrugs," and then it proceeds throughout the movie to do a billion also deliberately lazy no-brainer callbacks to the zeitgeist and tropes of the drugged-out eighties. (I just realized it was Ray Liotta on purpose because Goodfellas.) (Which came out in 1990, but come on: it was an eighties movie.)
Cocaine Bear was dumbonpurpose like its great great grandma and grandpa, Snakes on a Plane and Sharknado, but the addition of "Ha ha, this is the eighties, y'all!" made it deliciously stupidsmart, too.
Because of the "ha ha, eighties, whee" aspect of it, the "cocaine" in it does not have any of the boring limitations of C17H21NO4. And the "bear" in it is liberated entirely from responsibilities assigned to Ursus americanus. You might argue that you could say the same thing about the plane and the snakes or the tornado and the sharks, but naw. Neither is making a comment about an actual phenomenon, and this movie is.
They are eighties coke and eighties bear. So movie magic can occur because, bibbity bobbity boo, the bear now does not have to immediately OD and die and leave its cubs orphans as it would if it were a real bear that ate real coke. Instead, thanks to fairy godmother Nancy Reagan, it can run 80MPH and open doors and fly through the air like a sugar glider and pass out on top of a teen thug and wake up surrounded by guys with guns but not get shot and then when it does get shot and fall off a cliff, just a sniff of the fairy dust and it's back to eviscerating annoying yuppie hiker couples and having endless coke-fueled ragers in the woods with its little ones, happily ever after! Yay!
I think it's mostly saying "ha-har!" but in part it is also saying, "Our national stance on substances and addiction has always been and continues to be magical thinking. Do you doubt? Let us spend an hour or so in the epically fun and hilarious magical forest where everything the TV said about drugs is true!"
posted by Don Pepino at 8:04 AM on August 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
Reading this thread has reminded me of various things that were funny in this movie, so I'll have to raise it up a little in my estimation. It was delightfully stupid.
posted by fleacircus at 10:09 PM on September 18, 2023
posted by fleacircus at 10:09 PM on September 18, 2023
I just ended up watching it again over the weekend with a friend who hadn't seen it. What really struck me this time was that A. you never quite know where it's going (anybody could die and many do), and B. you care, it's got heart. Even the bad guys aren't all bad. Everybody's got their reasons and they're not bullshit bad-screenwriting-reasons. They're actually consistent with the characters and what we know about them ...
And that point toward the end where everybody's jammed up against the edge of the waterfall with the bear cubs and Ray Liotta wants them shot, and suddenly the little kid Henry starts calling him for being a piece of crap person and a BAD DAD -- that's genuinely funny.
and it's all over in barely 90 minutes. How often does that happen anymore?
posted by philip-random at 11:08 PM on September 18, 2023 [3 favorites]
And that point toward the end where everybody's jammed up against the edge of the waterfall with the bear cubs and Ray Liotta wants them shot, and suddenly the little kid Henry starts calling him for being a piece of crap person and a BAD DAD -- that's genuinely funny.
and it's all over in barely 90 minutes. How often does that happen anymore?
posted by philip-random at 11:08 PM on September 18, 2023 [3 favorites]
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In the end, it mostly comes off as funny, talented filmmakers fucking around, but what is the harm in that? Once the mayhem kicks in, it's like spending an hour plus in something pitched like the Vincent shoots Marvin scene from Pulp Fiction.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:45 AM on February 25, 2023 [4 favorites]