Infinitely Polar Bear is one of those incredible independent films and oh my heart it hit me right through the chest! I love independent movies. There’s just something about this genre. It’s less extravagant, more intimate and most of the time incredibly intelligent and touching.
This film like many indie films features stories without artifices, just the actors exposing themselves to atypical parts. In Infinitely Polar Bear, Cameron Stuart is a manic depressive father who’s trying to learn how to take care of his two daughters by himself while his wife is away studying and trying to earn money.
This one hits close from home as I felt like watching a part of my own childhood. My father isn’t manic depressive, but he’s got mood swings and the depression. He’s eccentric – and I learned how to love that side of him – and I could definitely identify with Amelia and Faith, Cameron’s daughters.
Most of the situations they’ve been in, I’ve been in as a child (and I still get embarrassed from time to time). I used to fight pretty fiercely with my dad, mostly because we have similar tempers, but also because I didn’t understand him when I was younger.
Watching the result of Maya Forbes directing this slice of her life, in memoriam of her own manic depressive father, made me realize how much I love him. She shows that yes, life with him wasn’t always easy, but he was here and he made us very happy. That’s very much how I feel with my dad (and as I grew older our relationship got stronger).
But more than a father centered movie, Infinitely Polar Bear deals with the struggle of keeping a family moving. Zoe Saldana’s character, the mother, is a very strong woman. Making a decision like she did, to go back to school in order to have a job that would earn more money and help her family, takes courage.
I like that her storyline didn’t “villainize” her. In loads of movies, she’d be considered the mother who abandoned her children to pursue a career and we’d have the known preachiness about how she’s a bad mother. Well, the film does have the “you won’t have the job because you have kids” scene, but it’s still a reality today, unfortunately.
It’s clear that she’s doing it for everyone as well as for herself, to work in a field that’s going to motivate her and enable her to care financially for her family. She also reminds me a lot of my own mother… Like I said, Infinitely Polar Bear hits close to home!
Let’s talk about the incredible actor performances this movie offers! Mark Ruffalo should stop making blockbusters and concentrate on small films because he just thrives! He captivates the audience and takes us with him on this journey to self-acceptance and unconventional parenting. With each movie, I’m more and more impressed by Ruffalo! Zoe Saldana is as usual flawless and is a great addition to Ruffalo’s acting, I really enjoyed their dynamic.
But we all know, or at least I know, that the real show stealers here are Imogene Wolodarsky and Ashley Aufderheide. Imogene is a riot, she’s a natural! I’m really hoping she’s going to pursue a career in acting because I’ll be first in line to see her movies.
Infinitely Polar Bear is touching, heartwarming, and is simply a great movie that I highly recommend. And to conclude this review, I think I’d like to say to my dad that I love him very much – cause I don’t say it often enough.
Rating: 5/5
SHARE:
