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10

ledaumasJul 11, 2015

We have family members on both sides diagnosed with the bi-polar disorder. They are very different on how they handle it. This movie showed how some people handle the disorder, along with the moments that they are out of control, and it wasWe have family members on both sides diagnosed with the bi-polar disorder. They are very different on how they handle it. This movie showed how some people handle the disorder, along with the moments that they are out of control, and it was very realistic. Mark Ruffalo did an excellent job of being sympathetic in his craziness. The young girls were great in their attempts to deal with their father, very true to what children do. Zoe Saldana was also excellent in her despair of handling an almost impossible situation. For us, some of the situations can be quite funny, while others are heartbreaking, and that's what the movie showed, living with crazy.… Expand

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8

danippJul 26, 2015

Beautiful and moving story about family and love. Ruffalo plays brilliantly a man who has bipolar disorder and tries to take of his beloved daughters while his ex-wife studies in New York. Despite major difficulcites, we learn that love canBeautiful and moving story about family and love. Ruffalo plays brilliantly a man who has bipolar disorder and tries to take of his beloved daughters while his ex-wife studies in New York. Despite major difficulcites, we learn that love can heal anything when it's real and people make an effort. Seeing how Cam adapts himself to his new mission and how his family welcomes him, after many problems of course, is a very nice thing to see. Infinitely Polar Bear is a sweet, cute and touching movie, with great characters, and for all ages.… Expand

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7

LamontRaymondJun 23, 2015

Zoe Saldana and Mark Ruffalo are solid, as you would expect them to be, but the real stars of this show are the actresses who play their daughters. They absolutely steal the show - and not in some cutesy, Hollywood kid way. Their acting isZoe Saldana and Mark Ruffalo are solid, as you would expect them to be, but the real stars of this show are the actresses who play their daughters. They absolutely steal the show - and not in some cutesy, Hollywood kid way. Their acting is tremendous, and it made stomaching the less-than-stellar representation of a manic depressive all the more palatable.… Expand

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7

GreatMartinJul 10, 2015

For 23 years Mark Ruffalo has been a journeyman actor, always becoming the character he is called on to play as in his last 3 films. He was Dave Schultz the wrestling Olympic champ in “Foxcatcher”, Ned Weeks, AIDS activist, in “The NormalFor 23 years Mark Ruffalo has been a journeyman actor, always becoming the character he is called on to play as in his last 3 films. He was Dave Schultz the wrestling Olympic champ in “Foxcatcher”, Ned Weeks, AIDS activist, in “The Normal Heart”, and in today’s movie “Infinitely Polar Bear” is Cam, husband and father who is bipolar. Though probably not a “STAR” or “A” list actor as defined in Hollywood he has had 55 nominations for acting roles in movies, on television and the stage. Lucky for us he can star in ‘large’ movies that allow him to star in ‘small’ movies.

In “Infinitely Polar Bear”, a name his youngest daughter gives to her father who was diagnosed as manic-depressive order in the late 1960s which will become bipolar disorder years later, Cam is handed the responsibility of raising his two daughters, Amelia (Imogene Wolodarsky) and Faith (Ashley Aufderheide) for 18 months in Boston while his wife Maggie (Zoe Saldana) goes to New York to earn her MBA at Columbia in New York while the born to a rich for generations family he is poor.

The film opens with Cam having a mental breakdown and unable to hold down a job and though his family believed in a first rate education he was kicked out of Harvard and other schools. His background is explained somewhat but it doesn’t go into detail as to why his grandmother would pay his rent for an apartment and, offer him her Bently when his car is really in bad shape, yet won’t offer to send her grandchildren to private school.

Though based on a true story written by the director-writer Maya Forbes about her family she seems to have handled her father’s illness with humor whether he was experiencing bipolar episodes or going out on a drinking binge. The fact that her mother is an African-American and father white of an elite Boston family---remember this is in the 1960s--is referred to very briefly in a scene between Maggie and her daughter Amelia, who looks Caucasian as her father and Faith looks Black, telling the former she is Black having a Black mother. Sadly Saldana’s role is underwritten and we learn nothing about her family, or how she learned to deal with her husband’s illness but not why she stopped any sexual relations with him and seems reluctant to resume them.

Instead of looking into a man’s mind who is bipolar or a family who is biracial, and the problems both situations may have caused, we are given a warm, funny, feel good family movie where it might have been the way the director-writer dealt with the problems.

Mark Ruffalo IS Cam presenting a bipolar man who is a hoarder, a curser, an alcoholic who clearly loves his wife and daughters and takes care of the latter, not always in the best ways, but doesn’t hold back his love. Zoe Saldana is excellent even if her role is underwritten. Imogene Wolodarsky, as the older daughter, represents a teenager embarrassed by her father, which most teenage girls are, but even with dealing his bipolar loves him more. Ashley Aufderheide, the director’s daughter, is a little preconscious and loud but neither daughter changes in any way over an 18 month period.

The main reason to see this movie is for another memorable portrait by Mark Ruffalo.… Expand

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9

NikolayGJan 19, 2016

If you enjoy realistic intimate dramas, see this. Period. I gave Infinitely Polar Bear a pass several times because I assumed it was a documentary narrated by Morgan Freeman. But it is not. Instead, it is a wonderful movie (having nothing toIf you enjoy realistic intimate dramas, see this. Period. I gave Infinitely Polar Bear a pass several times because I assumed it was a documentary narrated by Morgan Freeman. But it is not. Instead, it is a wonderful movie (having nothing to do with polar bears) that delves into the nuances of character more than any movie I have seen for the past few years. It likely will not get much attention because it does not focus on anything particularly politically correct, and most films that focus on realistic drama that get any attention are either about the plight of women or gay men or trans-this or that. This film focuses on a mentally ill man (not so crazy it makes you want to turn off the TV; just eccentric in a very realistic way that has a negative impact on those around him). If he turned out to be a monster I'm sure this film would have been nominated for something, but the writer/director stuck with honesty. This is simply an honest, warm and yet not saccharine in any way, rendering of the early life of the writer/director, who was raised by a bipolar father - a man entertaining on film since we don't actually have to live with him, though I'm sure it was not great fun in reality - with an Academy Award worth performance by Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana in one of her best roles yet. Beautiful, touching, and funny.… Expand

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7

NickLikesMoviesSep 29, 2015

Mark Ruffalo gives a powerful performance, but the narrative is a little messy. The characters are strong, and the girl actresses give sweet, vulnerable performances. A solid watch.

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9

LeZeeDec 24, 2015

About a father and his two little girls who has been there was each other.

Based on the real life events of the director's childhood and it is her first directional film as well. Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana as her onscreen father andAbout a father and his two little girls who has been there was each other.

Based on the real life events of the director's childhood and it is her first directional film as well. Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana as her onscreen father and mother respectively, while her character as a 12 year old girl was played by her own daughter. I think it was a great team, the mother is the director, the daughter performing under her, the father producing it and it is their story.

I was worried that this film's going to emotionally hurt me as I'm an easy target to strike with a theme like this as what the synopsis says and the trailer revealed. But I was prepared for that, I wanted to have a tearjerker flick and in the end, I had a great time with it as the fulfillment was way beyond than what I was expected.

It was the story of a small family, a father and a mother and their two little girls that set in the 1978 Bostan city. Because of the condition of the father, the struggling family whose children are growing up needs a financial support for their better education and care. So the mother decides to sacrifice a few years of hers to go back to college to graduate and get a job. Now its between the father and the girls, how they spend those years together, which will be their worst nightmare as well as the best years of their lives.

"We'll be braver, Daddy.
Next time, I promise we'll be braver."

It really scared me a few times, because of the temperament of the father character, kids playing with a machete and so on. A wonderful family flick, but only for the adult members. Because of the too much cigarette smoking, I mean Mark Ruffalo smoked almost all in his screen presence and obviously the excessive usage of the foul language is the other reason.

So it is an R rated flick, but it was so perfect, the 70s atmosphere was spot on. Except the only bothering thing was the children never grew physically, while the cars, clothing style, society, cameras, the timeline has kept changing. But it did not leap extremely forward like a decade or something. That was not a big issue, while the film and its story telling kept the rhythm always on the high. Yep, there's no dull moments, whenever it began to sink under the emotion, repelled back with the same force which is why I hooked all the way. By the way I thought those innocent family sentiments were strongly appealing in a cute manner.

Now we talk about the roles. Mark Ruffalo definitely deserves an Oscars nomination. But I can't declare the award for him as I have to find out how the other actors performed in their films. This is his best film in a lead I have seen, probably his career best. To me it is this year's version of the last year's JK Simmons performance for the movie 'Whiplash'.

"Our dad is totally polar bear."

The other side, Zoe Saldana was as usual in a charming and polite character. As I know she never disappoints her fans. Ruffalo and Saldana are one of the best on screen pair, looked so real, like a real couple. The two little girls were also awesome in their debuting film. The entire movie's focus was these four members, very occasionally outside characters come into play with hardly any lines to deliver. I wondered what is the meaning of the title and if your focus is on, you won't miss the explanation, which was so cute.

An amazing fusion between the incredible narration and the background score. The tracks (some of them are not OST) as well very good that played till the credits rolled out. I liked 'The Pirate Song' that was written by the director and 'Oogum Boogum' was funny. Many of them I heard for the first time and thinking to grab them for my movie song collection. Overall, it will surely transform your mood by the end of the movie, I mean in a good way.

Inspiring, yes the film inspires to have our own little family with kids. Especially a perspective of a father and his great responsibility was portrayed tremendously. And also the girls who saved their father from being lost. They stayed for each other and stayed that way as how a parent and his children should be as an example, but in a little harsh human nature.

It is a rare gem, undoubtedly completely enjoyable. This was one of those that came silently into the productions. The earlier posters were unimpressive and made me stay away, but later, now it turned out one of my favourite flick from the 2015. Obviously movie fanatics loved this heartwarming family drama and I highly recommend it. As usual like I always say, whether you like it or not, but don't miss it.

9/10… Expand

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8

BrianMcCriticJan 13, 2016

You have to appreciate Mark Ruffalo's layered performance as a bi-polar father who's left in charge of his two kids. This film is funny and sweet even when his mood switches. I kind of loved this film. A-

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7

smiyamotJan 7, 2016

How can people with mental problems survive in our world today? Life in the city must be so daunting. This guy has a wife and two daughters. He also has a rich family who give him an allowance to live on so he's not homeless. He needs toHow can people with mental problems survive in our world today? Life in the city must be so daunting. This guy has a wife and two daughters. He also has a rich family who give him an allowance to live on so he's not homeless. He needs to look after the 2 girls while his wife goes to school. We see his trials and tribulations in this struggle. This movie shows him NOT taking his meds, which I think sends the wrong message to others out in the world who we read about tragically in the newspapers. This was not unlike "Mistress America" in dealing with a bipolar person.… Expand

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4

Brent_MarchantJun 26, 2015

Despite earnest efforts by Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana to make the material of this offering look better than it really is, the film misses the mark in countless ways, including everything from consistent styles of filming to having aDespite earnest efforts by Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana to make the material of this offering look better than it really is, the film misses the mark in countless ways, including everything from consistent styles of filming to having a coherent narrative to failing to resolve a host of story threads. If you've seen the trailer for this release, you've already seen all the best that it has to offer.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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9

katezoeJan 15, 2016

Wonderful film that deals with a very sensitive issue in a humane and funny way. The performances are excellent by Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Zaldana. Highly recommend it.

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7

kathytreeceJan 21, 2017

I rented Infinitely Polar Bear from the local library, after reading that it has Mark Ruffalo's best performance. Mark Ruffalo is superb in the film. Plus it is an intriguing story of a family dealing with bipolar. The movie is realistic to me.

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7

EpicLadySpongeApr 2, 2016

That title seems wrong. I thought it'd be about... polar bears and their every day lives in Antarctica... but this one about a family and their daily lives seems alright.

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7

geewahJan 14, 2021

This movie is all about the ever likable Ruffalo who is the driving force behind this sweet & charming movie.

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10

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