Movie Breakdown: Cocaine Bear

Pre-Screening Stance:

I’m really not sure I have a whole lot of faith in Cocaine Bear being anything more than a meme movie that’ll come and go without much of an impact, but 2023 has already surprised me with M3GAN. So, maybe, just maybe it’ll land better than expected.

Post-Screening Ramble:

Cocaine Bear easily slots in right alongside Snakes On A Plane in regards to quality, which I’d guess is either exactly what you were hoping for or the complete opposite. As for the plot, it’s pretty much what’s in the trailer – a bear finds and consumes a shit ton of cocaine and then goes about terrorizing a small town. There’s a lot of jokes, gore, over the top characters, and more at play to keep you entertained, and depending on your level of inebriation, some of it even works! In all seriousness, this is a ridiculous movie that sees director Elizabeth Banks throw every single thing she can at the proverbial wall without much care about what does or doesn’t stick. This coke-enhanced approach, while an obvious fit thematically, proved to be a little tough for me to get around though, as it makes the movie feel too cluttered. Case in point, the runtime is only 95 minutes but it’s such a busy, bumpy ride that I was feeling done a good while before the credits hit the screen.

I doubt any of you needed me to tell you that “your mileage may vary” when it comes to Cocaine Bear, but hey, I’m here to confirm it anyways. Good luck to you. The film hits theaters this Friday, February 24.

One Last Thought:

I definitely didn’t realize how MIA Alden Ehrenreich had been since he did Solo: A Star Wars Story – his only credit since 2018 is the show Brave New World. He’ll be everywhere this year though, what with Cocaine Bear and roles in Oppenheimer (that tiny Christopher Nolan movie) and Fair Play (an erotic thriller coming soon to Netflix).

One More Last Thought:

It’s both fitting and sad that this is Ray Liotta’s final film.