Two Lovers and a Bear (2016) Reviews

• The young arctic couple and their adventure.

  Reno-Rangan2017-10-13

  It was another film about life in the Arctic. That's wrong! Surely it sets in the Canadian Arctic region, but it was much more than a simple drama. As the story progress, you would come to know the depth of the film. It does not expand, but the characters become stronger. With unexpected twists and turns, the narration heads to the other end. From the director of 'War Witch' that nominated for the Oscars. What you learn from the title is about three persons, but there's a fourth. The father of one of the lovers. Except in the initial stage, the film is all about them. The young couple in a remote frozen town begins to witness their relationship breaking away because of one of them leaving the town very soon. With a brief breakup, they mend it up and then decides to face any obstacle together. Hence the adventure begins. The financially struggling couple, plans to overcome the situation by taking the snowmobile to reach their destination. It was not an ordinary road trip you had seen in other films. In a vast deserted land, you never know what might happen any time. Till now it was a casual drama like that happen in anybody's life. But their trip brings to the film a different tone. The adventure with a little thrill. When they are about to catch in an unforeseen blizzard, they take a shelter in an unusual place. After that, everything is about to change for them forever. There's nothing is the story. It was like someone's real life who are in the relationship and their daily activity. But the adventure changes everything. A perfect atmosphere to give away the secrets. Most of you would have already guessed it, though what it reveal, the way it reveals was good. Makes sense, every doubtful event that occurred before. But it was not designed to keep everything suspenseful for its viewers. So that makes us acceptable the film being what it is. ❝If you hurt yourself, you hurt me.❞ Indie films are commonly small budget, but it was good enough to enjoy quality. It was not anything about the environmental issue or the Arctic people's struggle. It was just a young lovers tale. Once I have got confused between literal and metaphor, what the film is actually trying to tell. With being a bear on one side and a trouble giving father another, I anticipated some kind of brief flashback to explain the stuffs. But that was never required once it opened up all in a straightforward narration. This is a beautifully written film. For a small film, they really had some tough time shooting in a tough conditions. The locations were breathtaking. Especially in the second half. In those parts, many scenes were totally unexpected, contrast to the first half you have got used to. That change makes the film very interesting. Apart the overall film, the end was decent. I don't think everybody would be happy with that. Even I was not sure, I'd liked the film or not after seeing that kind of conclusion. Something is sure that it might not be a perfect cinematic end as we're used to, definitely that's one of the possibilities in real life. If the end would have been compromised to satisfy its viewers, then the result too would have been much better. But I think the unusual and unexpected ending is much better than a cliché, any time. Both the lead actors, Dane DeHaan and Tatiana Maslany were very good. The characters were not challenging, but the performing in the given tough conditions were. The entire film was about them, where the other characters come only for a very brief. It is worth a watch for them, despite it might not be their career best. They are being a couple on the screen is what striking the most. Because what you had thought about them, against the transformation of their roles in the next half, spices up the story. I have heard that they had used the real bear. I wondered how they did it being made on a tight budget. Simple and cutely done. Initially I thought it could be a fantasy. But that's the point the story had to hold back for the later part. This is one of those films gone unnoticed. Not every film has to be top notch. Telling the same story in a different atmosphere using its resources could work out sometime. Whatever. The film was not the bad for why it was ignored so far since its release. People not aware of its existence could be the reason and turning it down after seeing low rating. But I think if you are looking for a refresher from the regular cinema, this is the one to go for. 7/10

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• A different kind of love (story).

  sanjin_96322017-02-21

  I can't believe I'm the second one to review this. When I started watching, I didn't know what to expect. I wasn't quite familiar with the two actors. DeHaan I knew from some supporting roles. Maslany's mostly known for her role on Orphan Black. A show I chose not to watch because I didn't like the clone angle. Essentially this is a story about two people (lovers as it says in the title) spending their days near the Arctic circle, trying to leave their past behind them. A task that proves almost impossible as the story unfolds. Darker than expected. And yeah, there's a bear. Sounds not that compelling? Well, I was pleasantly surprised. The film depends very much on the actors' performances and, to my surprise, they didn't disappoint. The chemistry is very much OK. Direction is quite good too. I think I'll watch War Witch next by the same guy. 7.3/10

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• Amazing film well deserving of festival awards

  dperrierus2016-09-19

  This was my favorite film from the 2016 Cannes Film Festival; and a must see. The entire audience loved it and it was shown in what was likely one of the largest theaters I had been in prior to Cannes. The plot and shots make it seem very Canadian, but it is a great film and should be watched by everyone. It is well written, directed and the cast does a very good job. The cinematography is great and does a good job at immersing the audience in the story. The director is now one that I will follow. Thanks for making such a wonderful film. Go check it out!

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• Walking on a thin ice

  zoricaristevska2018-01-10

  Despite being located in extremely cold,northern, and pretty harsh weather conditions, the story of the movie itself feels quite warm at the same time. We are given a narrative which the environment makes it rather picturesque but its setting might have been anywhere and could apply to anyone. The message of the movie is too profound - you can find it in almost every religious containing material, or even in those self-improvement books, but it does not sound cheesy. Not at all, on the contrary it feels as a new discovery, although, we, the viewers knew it all along perhaps in another meaning. As much as I try to depict it the way the film deserves, i can't really grasp it - nor should I, the movie tends to defend its message astonishingly. Try to be happy. Shit happens. Sometimes it is done to you, sometimes you are responsible for it. But no matter the circumstances, you will never lose your ground as long as you are guided by your heart. You may be disappointed by the outcome of your doings, but it's better to be disappointed by trying something you love or believe in. The two main characters are doing just that. Going right into the blizzard caused by nature, they are confronting directly their inner demons - both of them are hunted by their past. They are not without flaws, they do stupidities but their love for each other redeems them. The movie is great, even with the Romeo & Juliette ending. I especially liked the last few scenes, the shot where their frozen selves, are always holding together flying in the sky, embraced. The bear is the perfect supernatural diversion of the movie. It's not in any way forced or out of place, it fits perfect in the movie. The guy, Roman, talks to bears, he says, but it's the same bear all the time. At first I thought it's his conscience speaking, but then the other characters saw it, confirming its existence. Maybe it is his love for Lucy, his sacrifice (he doesn't want to go back south, he does it for her), his past unfortunate events that chased him out of his home, that he is chosen to be spoken to by the wild life - seven nation army couldn't hold him back. One of the first lines in the opening is the admiration of Jack White who contributes to the celebratory mood when tragedy is avoided with his big hit in the background, and it is also mentioned that if you only stop and listen, your spirits will talk to you. While drunk and scared when told she was leaving, while digging their future grave to get away from the storm, the bear always appeared, saying only truth. At first, when I saw it, I thought this was another version of "Lovers of the Arctic circle" - an amazing movie, telling of two lovers both striving to get to the Arctic, where the sun doesn't set in summer, where time doesn't exist. Something similar taken from another excellent book author Murakami, is used in this film - the same thing told in the movie ending, that time only exists as the heart percieves it.

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• Too artistic for me

  Gordon-112017-08-16

  This film tells the story of two lovers in an arctic town in Canada, whose lives are interrupted by apparently positive life changes, hideous past trauma and the appearance of a polar bear. "Two Lovers and a Bear" shows a glimpse of what life could be like in a northern town that is permanently surrounded by ice and snow. The scene where the policeman visits Dane DeHaan, and then request unconventional backup through the radio is very funny. Perhaps you can really do that in a small town, but I cannot imagine this could happen in a big city without staff being held accountable for and someone getting fired. The following scene that strikes a chord with me is the very last scene. I feel sorry for them, but yet they chose such a path of action perhaps out of foolhardiness. To sum up, the film is pretty uneventful but beautiful.

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