Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Infinitely Polar Bear Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman December 31, 2015

Infinitely Polar Bear is impressively made and expertly performed. Writer/Director Maya Forbes (writer, The Rocker, Monsters vs. Aliens) crafts a quality film in her directorial debut, just one that progresses on rather uneven footing. Her film never manages to settle on what it is. Part dark comedy, part family drama, part human interest story, part social awareness film, Infinitely Polar Bear tells the tale of a disorderly man and the emotionally and financially struggling family that craves order from his chaos. Despite its somewhat uneven footing, the film proves both thematically fluent and fundamentally entertaining as an examination of how mental illness shapes, reshapes, and evolves the (relatively) modern family dynamic and, as it turns out, the movie's occasionally wayward approach helps settle it and share its story in a more relatable way.

Bipolar.

Cam Stuart (Mark Ruffalo) and his wife Maggie (Zoe Saldana) are watching their marriage slowly devolve. They have two beautiful children (Imogene Wolodarsky, Imogene Wolodarsky) but he's lost his job and been hospitalized following a particularly disturbing outburst that's a result of his manic depression, or bipolar disorder. He's finally released back to his family, a family that's struggling financially and emotionally. With Cam unable to do much to financially support the family, Maggie returns to school on scholarship to earn a business degree. But she'll have to leave the family's native Boston for New York and leave the kids in Cam's care. It's a bumpy ride -- Cam repeatedly embarrass the children -- but a necessary ride and one that Cam hopes will reunite the family and place it on firmer footing once Maggie returns with a degree and, hopefully, a higher paying and more stable job.

Infinitely Polar Bear's quirky overlay gradually reveals a much more intimate character examination. Its quirkiness remains throughout and gives the movie an almost buoyant approachability, but the meat is found underneath in what evolves into a substantial human drama. Without feeling in the least bit overbearing, the movie explores the difficulties of living with a mental disorder not so much as it affects the sufferer but rather those around him or her, in this case a family that's forced to deal with the father's eccentricities in the pursuit of living life one day at a time and working hard to carve out a place of their own making in the world, a world that's already a challenge enough on its own without the added interference from a loving but unpredictable family member. The movie's dramatic strengths come from the familial interactions, often tightly entwined with an underlying humor, that explore life's added challenges and how they can interfere, or maybe in some ways help, an already epic struggle just to put food on the table or get through a day of school. And even if there's not a serious dark side to the movie -- many of the more serious consequences of Cam's disorder on his family aren't so much glossed over as they are presented with a bit more in the way of approachable humanity -- there's certainly a thorough exploration of Cam's condition that's given the weight it deserves, just with a little prettier packaging than seen in more straightforward and emotionally raw movies like Still Alice.

While Forbes' writing and direction are fine, it's her cast that brings Infinitely Polar Bear to startling life. Mark Ruffalo commands the screen not simply by bringing a necessarily uneven energy to the movie but by finding the innermost details and character qualities that both shape the individual and give definition to the greater world of bipolar disorder. The performance, like the movie, toys with a mild inner darkness that frequently gives way to a jovial exterior, evident even in many of the family's most trying times and circumstances, be they one-off moments or the greater despair that hangs over. Ruffalo's performance is in many ways the opposite of his work in the Marvel movies in which his character lives to absolutely control his emotions. Here, he's allowed to roll with the punches, go with the flow, be who he is without constant worry of the consequences. That usually means he's more like a big kid than he is a big monster -- though if that's how others see him is up for debate throughout the movie -- but no matter the situation Ruffalo commands the character, and the movie, with an absolute understanding of all the inner and outer quirks and intricacies that define the character. He's surrounded by a trio of superb performers, with the actresses portraying his daughters -- Imogene Wolodarsky and Ashley Aufderheide -- lighting up the screen in every scene, no matter their emotional state.

Infinitely Polar Bear Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Infinitely Polar Bear was originally conceived to be photographed on 16mm film, but budget constraints pushed the filmmakers to a more modern-traditional digital setup. The results are splendid. The image is clean and healthy and never particularly digital-flat or digital-glossy. Details are robust. Clothing textures are most revealing, as are faces, while general background elements shine, particularly the somewhat bulkier, more richly textured era-specific objects and automobiles. Colors delight. The palette is vibrant and stable, revealing attire, cars, natural greens, and supporting background objects with attractive flair. Black levels can push mildly bright, but flesh tones don't appear to betray natural shades. Mild noise is also a factor but not much of a concern. Other unwanted intrusions are absent. This is another rich, wonderful presentation from Sony.

Infinitely Polar Bear Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Infinitely Polar Bear's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack may not be the most thunderously aggressive on the block, but its subtleties and ability to convey its material with precision makes it a winner. Dialogue is the primary mover here, and its center-focused delivery is clear and detailed with natural prioritization and slight reverberation when necessary, such as when characters speak in a tight apartment complex hallway around the 28-minute mark. Musical definition satisfies. Spacing is good and surround and LFE support are well proportioned. Light atmospherics trickle in at times and a third act temper tantrum sends some objects clanking and crashing around the listening area.

Infinitely Polar Bear Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Infinitely Polar Bear contains an audio commentary track, a film festival Q&A, deleted scenes, and a trailer. A UV digital copy code is included with purchase.

• Audio Commentary: Actor Mark Ruffalo, Director Maya Forbes, and Producer Wally Wolodarsky open with a discussion of the movie's technical assemblage and move on to cover the basics: shooting locales, story and themes, characters and performances, small anecdotes from the shoot, and more.
• LA Film Festival Q&A with Cast and Filmmakers (1080p, 10:26): J.J. Abrams hosts Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Imogene Wolodarsky, and Maya Forbes to discuss the film. Forbes opens with a discussion of the film's personal nature and the directing experience. It continues with the actors fielding a few questions.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Dog Fight (0:58), Cameron Wakes the Girls (1:11), Cameron Picks Maggie Up (0:54), and Driving Home (1:15).
• Previews (1080p): Additional Sony titles.
• Infinitely Polar Bear Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:17).

Infinitely Polar Bear Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Infinitely Polar Bear is the prefect title for Maya Forbes' directorial debut. Double entendre aside, the title evokes a sense of warmth (even if polar bears enjoy the cold) and cuddliness, which is often the movie's approach to the otherwise dark issue of bipolar disorder. The film is well made, breezy, and approachable, and dominated by a terrific, award-worthy lead performance from Mark Ruffalo. Sony's Blu-ray release of Infinitely Polar Bear features top-end video and audio. Several good extras are included. Highly recommended.