Black Bear, the “enthralling” and “twist-filled” psychological drama starring Aubrey Plaza, has just landed on Prime Video.
The 2020 film sees Plaza portray a filmmaker named Allison, who stays with a couple – played by Christopher Abbott and Sarah Gadon – in a remote lake house in the mountains in search of creative inspiration.
“Battling writer’s block, Allison sparks a calculated game of desire and jealousy in pursuit of a new work that blurs the boundaries of autobiography and invention,” reads the official synopsis.
Joining the aforementioned trio in the cast are The Walking Dead star Paola Lázaro, Power Book III: Raising Kanan‘s Grantham Coleman and The Invitation actor Lindsay Burdge.
For those of you who didn’t catch it the first time around, the critically acclaimed film, which was written and directed by Lawrence Michael Levine, is now available to stream in the UK on Prime Video.
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Black Bear proved popular among critics and it currently has an approval rating of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes from 161 reviews, with reviewers praising the performances from its cast as well as Levine’s work behind the camera.
The Associated Press said: “It’s cringey and enthralling as the three dig themselves into deeper and deeper holes and you begin to wish for any kind of release.”
“Suffice to say Levine has fashioned a twist-filled gem that leaves us a bit drained but also a little bit exhilarated by all its peaks and valleys and sharp curves,” penned Chicago Sun-Times.
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The Observer wrote: “Levine’s playful deconstruction of tortured genius is a witty and provocative send-up of tyrannical directors, diva-ish actors and over-invested voyeurs alike.”
“Sounds confusing. It’s not. It’s a delight,” said The Times, while The Independent said the film “screams into life”.
“From the (often extremely) raw materials of personal experience, Levine has alchemised an unflinchingly honest psychological drama, anchored by a riveting Aubrey Plaza,” was Empire Magazine‘s take.
Black Bear is streaming now on Prime Video.
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Harriet is a freelance news writer specialising in TV and movies at Digital Spy.
A horror enthusiast, she joined Digital Spy after working on her own horror website, reviewing films and focusing largely on feminism in the genre.
In her spare time, Harriet paints and produces mixed-media art. She graduated from the University of Kingston with a BA in fine art, where she specialised in painting. She also has an MA in journalism from Birkbeck University.