Brigsby Bear Dvd

Brigsby Bear is a 2017 American comedy-drama film directed by Dave McCary in his feature directorial debut, produced by The Lonely Island and 3311 Productions, and starring Kyle Mooney, Claire Danes, Mark Hamill, Greg Kinnear, Andy Samberg, Matt Walsh, and Michaela Watkins. The film depicts a captive man named James who is rescued from an underground bunker where he obsessed over a children’s television program titled Brigsby Bear Adventures. When he realizes the show was created by his captor, his fascination leads him to finish the storyline himself.

Mooney and Kevin Costello co-wrote the screenplay with a story by Mooney. The film was inspired by McCary, Mooney, and Costello’s middle school experiences making short films together, with a story stemming from Mooney’s fascination with 1980s children’s shows. Principal photography took place in Utah during Mooney and McCary’s break from working on Saturday Night Live.

The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2017, and was released on July 28, 2017, by Sony Pictures Classics. Brigsby Bear received positive reviews from critics, who praised the script, direction, cast and art design; critics also commended the film’s sentimental tone.

Plot

James (Kyle Mooney) lives in an underground bunker home with his parents Ted and April Mitchum (Mark Hamill and Jane Adams), whom he is forced to stay underground with. Ted tells James that the outside world is dangerous to them and James often watches him leave the bunker with a gas mask on. James is fascinated with an educational children’s show titled Brigsby Bear because he owns every episode on VHS Tape and fills his room with memorabilia. One night, he sneaks out only to see several police cars approach the home. The police raid the bunker and James is taken away from Ted and April who are arrested.

James is brought to the police station and meets Detective Vogel (Greg Kinnear) who tells James that Ted and April are not his real parents, and that he has been held captive since he was a baby. He also informs James that Brigsby Bear is not real and was made by Ted, a former artist and designer who disappeared with his wife in 1987. Vogel explains that they tracked Ted from the studio where the show was made. Then Vogel introduces James to his real parents, Greg and Louise Pope (Matt Walsh and Michaela Watkins), and their teenage daughter Aubrey (Ryan Simpkins). Though they try introducing James to his new life, he can’t stop thinking about Brigsby Bear.

One night, Aubrey takes James to a party. He meets Aubrey’s friend Spencer (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.) and later starts talking about Brigsby Bear to his new friends. This prompts him to come up with the idea to make a movie based on the character to close the series after looking up information on how to make a movie. He starts production after Detective Vogel, who sympathizes with James through Vogel’s own early acting dreams, lends James some props from the show, and Spencer, being a filmmaker, agrees to make the movie with him. Spencer also advertises the movie by uploading episodes of Brigsby Bear to YouTube, where it gains popularity and a new audience. Greg and Louise do not approve of James’ activities because they fear it hinders his chances of living a normal life.

While filming in a forest, James uses an explosive he made for a scene that detonates, surprising Spencer. The group is arrested, but James takes the blame for it. The police release him, but confiscate the Brigsby Bear props once again. James takes his parents’ car out one night to steal the costumes and props. He takes a detour first to his old underground home, now abandoned and cordoned off with yellow tape. James stops by a diner and discovers Whitney (Kate Lyn Sheil), the actress who played both Arielle and Nina Smiles in the show. She tells him that she never knew the true circumstances behind the side acting job, having been told by Ted Mitchum that it was for Canadian public access. As the police arrive outside, James asks Whitney to reprise her role for his film and admits that he had a longtime crush on her through the show.

James is placed in a mental institution. Meanwhile, Aubrey shows her parents parts of the movie, where the two realize that making the movie allowed him to spend time with his friends. One night, James breaks out of the institution to grab his belongings, but discovers his family, along with Spencer and Detective Vogel, building a Brigsby Bear set in their garage. They tell him that after they saw how happy he was behind the scenes, they agree to help out as well.

James later visits Ted in jail who apologizes for abducting him. James actually tells Ted about the movie and states that they are having trouble getting the voices right. Ted helps him out by recording the voice-overs for Brigsby and the other characters. James finishes the movie, with Detective Vogel playing the character Feldo Mortese and Whitney as the Smiles Sisters. On premiere night, the show is sold out and James is worried no one will like it, so he stays out of the theatre while the movie plays. When James walks into the theater, he is met with a standing ovation. James is happy that the film is a success. He looks over to the stage and sees Brigsby wave goodbye and disappear.

Cast

Kyle Mooney as James Pope, a man who was raised in a bunker and grew up watching Brigsby Bear.
Claire Danes as Emily
Mark Hamill as Ted Mitchum, an artist and designer who abducted James when he was young, raised him as one of his own and created Brigsby Bear. In addition, Ted was the one who provided the voices of Brigsby Bear and the Sun Snatcher when making the show for James.
Greg Kinnear as Detective Vogel, a detective who finds James and later portrays Feldo Mortese in the Brigsby Bear movie.
Andy Samberg as Eric
Matt Walsh as Greg Pope, the biological father of James.
Michaela Watkins as Louise Pope, the biological mother of James.
Ryan Simpkins as Aubrey Pope, the sister of James.
Jorge Lendeborg Jr. as Spencer, a filmmaker and friend of Aubrey who befriends James while helping to make the Brigsby Bear movie.
Beck Bennett as Deputy Bander
Alexa Demie as Merideth
Chance Crimin as Logan
Kate Lyn Sheil as Whitney, an actress who portrayed “Arielle and Nina Smiles” on Brigsby Bear.
Kiera Milan Hendricks as Young Smiles Sisters
Jane Adams as April Mitchum, the wife of Ted who raised James as one of her own.
Tim Heidecker as Coach Brad
Nick Rutherford as Excited Man