Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Brigsby Bear Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 22, 2017

There's an old advertising line that occasionally pops up on movie promotional materials that says something along the lines of, "you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll fall in love with___!" Generally such promises ring more or less hollow, but it's for once the honest-to-goodness truth with Brigsby Bear, Director Dave McCary's film based on a story written by Kyle Mooney, who also stars in the lead role. The film tells an honest, touching, and simple story of one's transitional place in the world and using his past and passions as a propellant to lead him into the next phase of his life. It's a quintessential uplifting, feel-good sort of story that, to use another overused but here spot-on advertising line, will move audiences to stand up and cheer.

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Note: Many may find the following plot recap to contain major spoilers. The movie is best enjoyed without knowing too much about it. That said, there's really nothing in the recap that isn't in the trailer.

James (Kyle Mooney) has lived his entire life in a secure bunker with his mother and father (Jane Adams and Mark Hamill). The air outside is toxic, he's told, and venturing out too far and and at all without a respirator is a big no-no. He's never known anyone but them, and his entire life revolves around a television show called Brigsby Bear. He's come to know it inside and out, and with new episodes arriving with regularity, it's the one, good constant in his life. But everything changes one day when the FBI raids the compound and he is separated from everything he has known. He is returned to his real parents (Matt Walsh and Michaela Watkins) and his sister (Ryan Simpkins) whom he has never known. A police detective assigned to his case (Greg Kinnear) helps to acclimate James to the new world in which he finds himself, but he misses Brigsby, even as he learns that the show was a sham and produced only for his benefit. As he attempts to fit into the world around him and learns about the magic of moviemaking, he decides to finish Brigsby's story in a homemade big-screen adaptation.

Brigsby Bear is peculiar but powerful, unwaveringly unique, unexpected, and good hearted. The film's narrative is simple but its character complexities and depth are significant. The movie is alive with rich, complex insight into the human condition and conditioning. As James gradually comes to understand the world around him and realize that he's been living an illusion, he discovers he still needs that illusion to function. The film he makes is as much literal and metaphorical therapy -- even if he doesn't quite realize it -- as it is a passion project. He pours his heart and soul into it, partially because he wants to make a great movie but partially because it's his bridge, an extension of everything he's ever know that has led him to a willing group of friends and family who open their hearts and lend their talents to him, first, perhaps, out of sympathy but gradually as they come to know him as a friend. The film can also be seen as a light commentary on the film medium itself; movies are not always about raw quality that can be bought for the right price but rather the heart and passion someone puts into them, the love they devote to them, the piece of their soul they leave in them. But Brigsby Bear is by-and-large a character piece and one of the warmest, most approachable, most agreeable movies of the past few years.

Kyle Mooney is wonderful in the lead. The performance is tender and reserved, his enthusiasm for even his project a little muted but still energetic and honest as he sorts out his new place in the world. It's a performance of nuance and depth, where the character is at once both childlike in his sense of wonder at the new world around him but mature enough -- even as his life as been nothing but lies -- to move beyond his inherent limitations rather quickly. Mooney's character is much like those prisoners depicted in Plato's cave allegory (the entire Brigsby Bear narrative, really, is a retelling) as he's forced to accept the reality he is given and deal with the reality that it's all been a lie. Or has it? He was brought up on real emotions, a connection to his "family" and the fictional television show they created for him that became not only a teacher and entertainer but a companion and friend. It was all very real to him, and the actor, who wrote the story, presents all of the in-the-moment highlights of imprisonment, freedom, discovery, and determination very well. But he also delivers a beautifully nuanced effort within the story's evolution as well, finding serious personal growth leading up to the movie's predictable but welcome and tearful climax.

Brigsby Bear Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Brigsby Bear's 1080p transfer is not a standout amongst the cream of the format crop, but it definitely gets the job done with little room for complaint. Sony's presentation is adequately crisp and robust. Textural qualities don't ascend to astronomical heights, but good, core definition abounds, with quality clothing and facial textures as well as environment crispness and nuance evident in every frame. Colors are stout and pleasing, with plenty of natural, robust hues on display that never push too warm or appear too dull. Black levels satisfy with inky depth and perfect shadow detail. Skin tones raise no alarms. Light noise is evident but never intrusive. Overall a very satisfying image from Sony.

Brigsby Bear Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Brigsby Bear is mostly a dialogue intensive film, and the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack carries that core element to clear, well defined, center positioned, and well prioritized excellence. General music and score enjoy honest front-end width and clarity, while surround extension is obvious and robust during a party sequence at the 35-minute mark. A few odd atmospheric details filter through in various locations, particularly at the police station and in outdoor scenes and sequences. An explosion at one key point in the film is sufficiently robust. Otherwise, the track is fairly straightforward with little of note on tap.

Brigsby Bear Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Brigsby Bear contains a handful of extras. No DVD or digital versions are included.

• Audio Commentary: Writer/Actor Kyle Mooney and Director Dave McCary offer a breezy, light, and rather informal track, beginning with a discussion of what exactly they are supposed to discuss and moving on to cover a number of interesting insights, including making the "old" Brigsby episodes made for the movie, characterization, filmmaking techniques, performances, plot devices, and much more. Fans should find it an agreeable listen.
• Brigsby Bear: The Lost Episode! Volume 23 Episode 14: The Festival of Kindness (480i, 4x3, 6:48): A short episode of the fictional TV show. It is presented in standard definition with a wavy VHS quality about it.
• Extended & Deleted Scenes (1080p, 7:57 total runtime): This Is the Internet, Hockey High, I Think I Want to Do It Again, and Are You the Bear Guy?
• Twin Speak: Kyle & Dave (1080p, 10:47): The writer/actor and director discuss their lifelong friendship, the beginnings of their professional careers, ascension to SNL, and developing Brigsby Bear, including making the 80s-style TV show and themes. Writer Kevin Costello, Producer Akiva Schaffer, and Director of Photography Christian Sprenger chime in as well.
• Gag Reel (1080p, 6:37).
• An Evening with Brigsby Bear (1080p, 13:27): The piece begins with a short glimpse into the premiere and primarily features a large cast and crew contingent fielding questions from an audience.
• The Wisdom of Brigsby Bear (480i, 1:13 total runtime): A few micro clips featuring Brigsby sharing some "life tips." Included are Dinner Time, Inside Voice, Draw a Picture, Keep It To Yourself, Good Luck, and Foot Massages.
• Teaser Trailer (1080p, 1:36).
• Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:18).
• Previews (1080p): Additional Sony titles.

Brigsby Bear Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Audiences will be hard-pressed to find a more genuine, feel-good, novel, and well constructed film as Brigsby Bear this year. It's a wonderful tale of perception, reality, adaptation, friendship, love, acceptance, helping others in need, and so many more little qualities that make the movie so compelling and so touching. This is one of the best under-the-radar movies in some time. Sony's Blu-ray delivers stable video and audio paired with a nice little assortment of extra content. Very highly recommended.