Brigsby Bear is a wonderful, unique movie, reminiscent of Hot Rod or Napoleon Dynamite, filled with heart and pop culture references. SNL’s Kyle Mooney and a deeply funny, stacked cast, brings to life a movie that only he could have written, inspired by the cartoons he watched growing up, as well as his often-discussed, ever-growing VHS tape collection.
I grew up with the GoodNeighborStuff sketch group, who joined the ranks of The Lonely Island and Whitest Kids U’ Know as teenager Brandon’s growing list of YouTube bookmarks. From The Toast to Best Kids Awards to 420 Disaster, their videos were weird, funny and a little risqué, pushing the envelope and creating comedic situations that you could only find on their channel.
Saturday Night Live was smart, picking up (eventually and … briefly) the entire four-man comedy team, using them as a pseudo-Lonely-Island for the next generation of SNL fans. During this time, Mooney began preparing the script and production of his passion project, an absurd comedy centering around one main idea: “What if there was a television show that was written for just one kid?”
I’ve been eagerly awaiting this film’s premiere for a long time, with rumors and news about the plot and cast slowly leaking out for years. Mark Hamill’s role made headlines months ago and he, of course, brings his charm, range and voice-over talent to the ensemble. It’s always good to see Luke Skywalker chew some scenery and get some extra Hollywood notice (although it looks like he filmed during the middle of the Star Wars sequels, his beard looking very “I am a Jedi Master in Self-Imposed Exile” throughout the film.)
It’s hard not to go too deep into the plot of Brigsby Bear without spoiling it. There are some early twists that really provide the impetus for the movie’s plot that is better left unsaid. But, what I can say is: it’s funny, endearing and perfect. Mooney’s character James and his quest to film the finale of his favorite TV show is full of great beats and characters. From Veep’s Matt Walsh to Greg Freaking Kinnear to special appearances from SNL alums, the fine-tuned cast elevates the movie to something really special.
Brigsby Bear is probably one of my favorite movies of the year, especially since, with its focus on what it means to be a fan, it feels like something made just for me.
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