Who would think a movie about a bear ingesting cocaine and going on a murder spree would make for a hilarious movie ? Well clearly someone had the foresight as the movie was certainly an entertaining one. The movie stars Keri Russell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, O’Shea Jackson Jr. and the late Ray Liotta, with Elizabeth Banks directing.
The plot of the film is: “Inspired by the 1985 true story of a drug runner’s plane crash, missing cocaine, and the black bear that ate it, this wild thriller finds an oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists and teens converging in a Georgia forest where a 500-pound apex predator has ingested a staggering amount of cocaine and gone on a coke-fueled rampage for more blow… and blood.”
Now this is a movie that will not be for everyone, especially given the plot of the film or the bloody nature or the comedy style but I absolutely loved it. The weirdness of the characters and the intertwining of a couple storylines was done in great way. You have kids who skipped school running from the bear, a cop after the drug smugglers as well as some interesting characters that you are introduced to along the way. The plot itself lends it to being wither hate it or love it, or even a so bad it’s good type movie.
The comedy helps make the blood shed more than watchable with the plot not exactly the best, the acting is what brings it in. The movie doesn’t waste much time getting into some action and the plot which is very nice to see. O’Shea Jackson being a bright spot as is the hilarious young Christian Convery as Henry. I cannot say there was a bad performance by the cast as it’s odd plot lends to a variety of performances working. If this is the last performance from the late Ray Liotta to get posthumously released it is a good one to go out on.
In the end Cocaine Bear is a movie that you can turn your brain off and just kick back and enjoy the dark humor of. I honestly love the movie and want to watch it over again, and a number of movies lately do not fall into that category. There is something enjoyable about the cocaine fueled rampage of a black bear as it fiends for the powdery white substance to the shock of those around. It is weird to say I consider this in a strange way a masterpiece of the comedy-horror genre.
Final Grade: 9/10
– Everett
