Overview
A whimsical journey of creativity and friendship unfolds when a young man's childhood show abruptly ends, igniting his quest to finish the story himself.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- whimsical
- melancholic
- earnest
- lazy sunday
- comfort viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film charming, original, and emotionally sincere, praising its unusual premise and creative warmth while noting its whimsy and formulaic optimism.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
James uses the Brigsby Bear show as the foundation for reconnecting with the outside world and creating his own story.
The show and bunker constitute the unusual educational and emotional world James has been given.
The Brigsby program and James’s continuation of it are presented through visibly homemade production design and props.
James must learn how to relate to family, peers, friendship, and public life after Brigsby abruptly ends.
Films like Brigsby Bear, and why
The Truman Show
earnest outsider protagonist, handmade creativity, and warm offbeat comedy
Stranger Than Fiction
surreal premise, emotional recovery, and storytelling as a path toward autonomy
Eagle vs Shark
eccentric coming-of-age sensibility, sincere humor, and creative self-discovery
Be Kind Rewind
childlike imagination colliding with adult reality in a whimsical independent comedy-drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Dave McCary
- Release Date
- 2017-07-27
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (428)
Cast
- Kyle Mooney
- Mark Hamill
- Jorge Lendeborg Jr.
- Matt Walsh
- Michaela Watkins
- Ryan Simpkins
- Greg Kinnear
- Alexa Demie
- Jane Adams
- Claire Danes
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Brigsby Bear about?
- A sheltered young man turns his devotion to a strange homemade children’s show into an unexpected journey toward freedom, friendship, and authorship.
- What is Brigsby Bear like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Brigsby Bear as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Brigsby Bear violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Brigsby Bear as mild.
- What did critics think of Brigsby Bear?
- Critics broadly found the film charming, original, and emotionally sincere, praising its unusual premise and creative warmth while noting its whimsy and formulaic optimism.
- Which films are like Brigsby Bear?
- Films with a similar feel include The Truman Show, Stranger Than Fiction, Eagle vs Shark, and Be Kind Rewind.
- How long is Brigsby Bear?
- Brigsby Bear runs 97 minutes.
- Where can I watch Brigsby Bear?
- In United States, Brigsby Bear streams on Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel.
