Black Bear

Black Bear, directed by Lawrence Michael Levine, is a 2020 American drama film that defies conventional storytelling techniques to deliver a thought-provoking, suspenseful journey into the mind of its central character. Starring talent like Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Abbott and Sarah Gadon, the film delves deep into the clumsy brutality of human relationships, while blurring the fine line between reality and illusion.

Aubrey Plaza, well-known for her comedic turns in projects like Parks and Recreation, ventures into more dramatic, complex territory as Allison, a filmmaker who escapes to a remote lake house in search of tranquility and possibly inspiration for her next project. The lake house is owned by young couple Gabe, portrayed by Christopher Abbott, and pregnant Blair, played by Sarah Gadon. As Allison settles into their lives, a tangled web of mutual provocations and emotional manipulation unfolds. However, the film takes a creative departure into the unexpected, veering away from straightforward narrative as it dances intricately between different genres.

The first half of the film ventures into the territory of biting satire, painting a grim portrait of intellectual and emotional warfare in the setting of an isolated artists' retreat. The movie builds friction through sharp, intense dialogue and feeds off the substantive performances of the actors. Plaza embodies Allison with a captivating mix of strength, mystery, and vulnerability, while Abbott and Gadon turn the passive-aggressive jousting of their characters into something utterly compelling.

In the profoundly meta second half, Levine takes Black Bear down an unexpected path, effectively turning the film inside out. The movie revisits the interactions of the trio but with a changed context and dramatic reimagination, thereby exploring the volatile borders of fantasy and the reality of performance. The divide between life and art becomes increasingly hazy, and the film challenges the viewer to question the trustworthiness of storytelling itself.

In Black Bear, fiction and reality are inextricable, as the characters lose themselves in their roles and the narrative continually reframes within newfound contexts. It is as if the film is piercing through different levels of consciousness, daring the viewer to keep pace. It’s a movie that’s equally about the realities of filmmaking and the toil it takes on those involved, as well as the nature of relationships and how they can be strained and moulded.

Director Lawrence Michael Levine showcases his prowess as a writer-director, infusing a level of sophistication into the film’s structure, mirrored equally in its narrative content. He places an emphasis on the process of creating, whether it’s a piece of art or a narrative within one’s mind. Balancing the intensity of the film is the lush, beautiful backdrop of the lake house's surroundings, captured in warm, enveloping tones by cinematographer Robert Leitzell, contrasting with the cold, unsettling climate of the characters' interpersonal dynamics.

The actors display raw performances, making a strong statement about their on-screen abilities. Plaza, in particular, exhibits a performance that dramatically reshapes her image from her previous roles. She’s arresting and impenetrable, expressing a tonight dark humor and displaying her range, particularly in the second half when things govern to a whole new level. The performances of Abbott and Gadon are also commendable. They act as perfect foils for Plaza's Allison, fluctuating between the multiple versions of their characters that Levine’s script asks of them.

Black Bear is an intelligently crafted film that's at once familiar and unsettling, using its nested structure to impart a fresh, unexpected take on creative process and relationships. The film through its brilliant performances and psychological exploration throws light on the narrative manipulations that define our perceptions of relationships and reality. Rarely does a film manage to balance such unconventional storytelling with solid character work, but Black Bear achieves this with mastery and stunning originality. It's a powerful exploration of the artistic mind and the boundaries of narrative, making it a must-watch for lovers of the unique and unconventional.