"I'm just not used to seeing it like that. It's usually more powdery on the streets."- Henry
Here we are, not even two months into 2023 and we've had two absolute bonkers studio releases with the awesome M3GAN and now, the more than suitably titled, COCAINE BEAR. I must admit that after seeing the poster art for this film I though it was going to be in the same vein as "Mega Shark VS Giant Boa", but after seeing who was actually attached to the project, I was fully onboard.
I've always been a big fan of Elizabeth Banks as an actor. She seems very smart, and obviously has a great understanding of comedy and cinematic beats in general. I've yet to see any of her previous directing efforts, but I was majorly impressed with the execution of this film. She gets great performances out of the cast, and puts together a string of wonderful set pieces. The whole ambulance scene, set to Depeche Mode's "I Just Can't Get Enough", was hilarious and ridiculously impressive.
Given the cast and Banks' background I knew the film would have some comedic moments, but I wasn't prepared for just how funny it ended up being. She doesn't mess about with the horror beats either, and there is some fun gore effects and slasher tropes that horror comedy fans should lap up. Obviously the bear has a lot to do with this, as he can be hilarious one moment, then terrifying the next. The look of the bear was also a concern for me going in, but they switch from a real bear to a CGI one in a way that isn't distracting, and doesn't take you out of the film.
As I mentioned earlier, the ensemble cast is terrific. I thought that maybe there would be two many characters to care about, but the kill count is high, and (MINOR SPOILERS) quite a few big names get killed off quickly. Keri Russell is terrific and well cast as the mom (love the pink jumpsuit). Veterans Margo Martindale (Justified) and Isiah Whitlock Jr (The Wire) look like they're having a blast. Alden Ehrenreich (Solo) is hilarious, and so is the charismatic O'Shea Jackson Jr, who like his father 25 years before him, is carrying out the family tradition of starring in campy animal attack films (Anaconda). It was also great to see Ray Liotta in what I'm guessing will most likely be his final role (RIP).
I've gotta say though, It's the two child actors who are the real MVP's here, especially young Christian Convery who play Henry. I swear to god, kids doing drugs in movies will never not be funny. The scene where Henry and DeeDee (Brooklyn Prince) find a brick of cocaine had me in stitches! It could've gone all sorts of wrong, but Banks does it in a way that's actually kind of adorable and cute.
I've said this before, most recently about the aforementioned M3GAN, that I love a movie that knows what and who it's target audience is. Not every movie needs to be a "critical indie darling" or a"300 million dollar blockbuster". Sometimes you just need to switch your brain off and have a good time, and that's what Cocaine Bear is - a damn good time at the cinema.
Three and a half out of five cocaine bricks.
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