Thank God for previews and movie theaters because without them, I would not know that Infinitely Polar Bear exists. Infinitely Polar Bear is perfect and truly exhibits the best qualities of period independent filmmaking. Infinitely Polar Bear is about a multiracial family in the 70s in Massachusetts, and how the bipolar father has to rise to the challenge of supporting his family in the best way that he can.
Infinitely Polar Bear does not downgrade mental illness as something quirky or that can go away forever with the love of a good woman or the discovery of an untapped gift. At the end of Infinitely Polar Bear, the character does not magically become the real life Mark Ruffalo (I’m looking at you, Silver Linings Playbook).
Infinitely Polar Bear deals with the messiness of life. Being mentally ill has negative aspects that never go away, but also should not mean exile from a loving community. Loving a mentally ill person can be tiresome, and that love will not always be patient and soothing, but because there is love, that love means that there will be something beautiful and beneficial in that relationship.
Infinitely Polar Bear gets the complexity of all human relationships. The children are mature, but because they are children, they can be annoying and what parent hasn’t lost their crap when a child does not listen to you even without the added challenge of mental illness. The marriage may or may not survive, but it is a better relationship than most.
Infinitely Polar Bear depicts everything realistically and is never a soap opera. Infinitely Polar Bear shows how the implicit rules of region, class, race, sex and gender can affect daily life without veering into maudlin or cheesy uplifting territory and never gets on a soapbox to scream “MESSAGE” at its audience.
It is nice to see Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana, both excellent actors, outside of a Marvel summer blockbuster and get to step away from the green screens and skins. Maya Forbes, Infinitely Polar Bear’s director, needs to talk to Paul Thomas Anderson, one of our greatest directors, about not being shy to cast his children because her daughter, Imogene Wolodarsky, knocks it out of the park as does her movie sister, Ashley Aufderheide.
I saw Infinitely Polar Bear with a friend who is bipolar. Infinitely Polar Bear made her cry in the best way possible. She also said that Infinitely Polar Bear got it right. I encourage everyone to see Infinitely Polar Bear in theaters this weekend. If we want good films, we need to put out money where our mouth is and pay at the box office!