“Cocaine Bear” and the Problem of High-Concept Plots

Darkness falls. Out in the woods, under the pelting of a pitiless storm, a middle-aged American male, stripped to the waist, fights a furious bear. This elemental sequence comes from a 1977 film, scarily titled “Day of the Animals,” and the joy of it is that the battling man is played by Leslie Nielsen, and that the movie is not—repeat, not—intended as a comedy. What, you may ask, could top that?

The trouble with high-concept films, though, is not the concept but the height. We laugh when we first hear about them, and we relish the buzz of the trailers; given that level of anticipation, it’s no surprise when the movies themselves take a tumble. Such was the case with “Snakes on a Plane” , and it’s my forlorn duty to report that “Cocaine Bear” follows suit.

Were you to sit down and watch all five movies that are thrashing it out for Best International Feature Film at this year’s Academy Awards, what a curious binge it would be. You could start with “Argentina, 1985,” which, despite relying on the well-worn custom of the courtroom finale, has a refreshing lack of stridency. Next up would be “Close” and “EO”—the first being a saddening saga of two Belgian boys, and the second a form of pilgrimage.

Wow, I can't wait for the sequel, 'Heroin Hippo' and the spinoff 'Meth Monkey.' HollywoodCreativityAtItsFinest

And the poor cub that’s got to listen to him?

'Then what'?!? Cocaine/bear: what more do you need?!?

Hi author, welcome to the realm of b-movies, learn all about it.

Then what? Then people saw the movie because they wanted to see that. Pretty straightforward. I enjoy a complex or masterfully delicate film as much as the next cinephile. But sometimes we just wanna eat some popcorn

They managed to take a movie about a bear on cocaine and make it painful to watch. Just an awful movie.

Cocaine bears deserve personhood.

Then go home and work on taking yourself less seriously

What else do you need?

then you go do something else

Like 'The New York Times' and 'Washington Post' The New Yorkers review of the Elizabeth Banks film 'Cocaine Bear' provides exactly what their publication promises, this dolt on twitter writes: 'they simply wrote a review that said nothing and begged a useless question' Then What?

Don't over think it chaps

You enjoy life for a few days as you keep remembering funny moments?

Why does there have to be a then what?

'High' concept.

To be fair, it was a really fun experience to watch that movie

I wouldn’t call a bear that does cocaine high concept

'Super-Realistic Meat Alternatives' sick pro animal abuse article. Disgustingly depraved.

The phrase 'hijinks ensue' seems made for this situation.

It's a MOVIE

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10 Bear Movies (Including Cocaine Bear) Where the Bear Was RightCocaine Bear is just the latest instance of watching a movie and going, 'You know what? The bear was right.' Here's a list of ten movies where bears had the moral, ethical, or strategic upper hand: I think the bear from season 5 of The Sopranos should get an honorable mention here paddington at number four? what an absolute joke. he almost burned that poor family’s house down
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‘Cocaine Bear’ Team on Committing to the Outrageous Title and Bringing the Killer Bear to LifeStars Keri Russell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and O'Shea Jackson Jr. open up about shooting opposite a stunt actor in a bear head and seeing the finished CGI product: 'This is not a Windows 98 situation, we had to have top of the line.' Awful Ehrenyuck is so cringy And the bear I'll pass!
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'Cocaine Bear's Kahyun Kim Wears Bear-Shaped Pasties to PremiereThe 33-year-old actress made a bold fashion statement at the film's premiere Tuesday night.
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Why Keri Russell Did ‘Cocaine Bear’: ‘Why the F*ck’ Not?Keri Russell tells beastobsessed why she signed on for CocaineBear and explains what it was like to film the wild movie: “When I read it, I couldn’t believe a studio was going to make this movie. I still can’t. I feel like they might still pull it.” beastobsessed go off keri beastobsessed Oh, is THAT what it’s about I was afraid it some symbolic-type title. Now I want to see it.
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