Man, and just like that on day 2 I’m pushed into some real disturbing stuff. TW: sexual assault
The movie starts out with the main character finding his cat dead from accidental overdose on Checkov’s Oxycotin. It hit some triggers for me and I actually took a few minutes to pause it and make popcorn to shake the real life sadness suddenly kicking around in my head off, but I think it tore down a few layers of my defenses right off the bat.
How is it that the 1992 Disney movie Aladdin got it right: No wishing to make someone love you. It should be pretty clear these days that removing someone’s free will and forcing them to love you is something only the most depraved sociopath would do, and it sets up Bear to be contemptible right off the bat. My friend described him as an incel and I didn’t understand at first, but now that I’ve had time to think about it more, yes, it’s spot on. He doesn’t have the ability to say anything to her so instead he goes another route to make her do what he wants because it’s owed to him. He deserves it. What a fucking loser.
The movie does a great job and showing this. I never felt remorse for him at all (except, as mentioned, when he finds poor Sandy, who is another victim of his idiocy). Even when they’re showing the “happy time” right in the beginning of their “relationship”, it still seems so fake and contrived. When they have sex, she is cold and lifeless, and he doesn’t notice or care or both. So much that when the louder, crazier stuff starts happening, I was happy to see him finally understand that he’s going to suffer, and wasn’t surprised when he was to scared to do anything about it.
The film focuses on this story only and informs a lot of the backstory by other characters attitudes (the magic shop, the phone call, etc.). It’s great that they just say “This is happening, move on, deal with it”.
The actor’s performances were all just what they needed to be. I wonder if Michael Johnston will get any roles in the future that aren’t “scared, quiet guy”. The only exception is Inde Navarrette, who deserves a fucking Oscar. Her quiet/sweet Nikki lines were delivered with such stark contrast with her batshit ones, but I honestly don’t think she needed to say a word. Too bad the Academy hates horror (and women).
5 out of 5
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