Hunting Bears (I) (2021) User Reviews

A poignant short about two brothers

[shortfilmwatcher · 10/10 · 30 July 2022]

This short film really hit a chord with me. Clocking in at 10 minutes, Hunting Bears is evenly paced and builds to a climatic conclusion. It focusses on the lives of two brothers; Kenny, who suffers with alzheimer's, and Andy, the youngest of the two, who is now Kenny's carer. The overall idea here is, "Who cares for the carer?", as it comes quite apparent that Andy is struggling with his new role as a 24/7 carer for his older brother.

Nathaniel Parker and Joel Beckett are magnificent in their roles. The director, Jason Ruddy, has directed and written a well rounded short here, that shows he is in control of what he wants to achieve with this piece. The cinematography is masterfully done and the soundtrack from Dave Rowntree fits the short perfectly. I will look forward to seeing what the director does next.

Well made short

[bucksfilmlover · 10/10 · 31 July 2022]

I got to see this short at a short film festival in June and it was one that didn't leave me for days. It tackles several important themes, and ones that most filmmakers would shy away from incase of not handling them right. Hunting Bears delivers an emotional story that packs a few punches. It is not scared to show the reality of the subject matter - which some may not appreciate. But because of this rawness and honesty, we are left with a film that is controversial for those that don't understand it. It's beautifully shot and well put together. I was blown away by the performances, and this being a debut film, I really was surprised how good it was. Worth 10 minutes of your time if you're able to catch it.

Ruddy good time

[warren-33 · 8/10 · 8 August 2022]

Jason Ruddy solidly crafts suspense in this short that will surprise you and lead you to reflect on societal standards and pressures regarding caretaking.

HUNTING BEARS is meaningful storytelling wrapped in (and upending) genre conventions. Worth the watch.

If you go down to the woods...

[ukfilmcritic2020 · 9/10 · 9 August 2022]

I throughly enjoyed this short form drama. It explores the themes of mental health and Alzheimers, and how carers are often forgotten about. Really great performances from the lead actors and a well composed soundtrack. Worth a watch!

Dark drama with important themes

[dark-and-taboo_lover · 10/10 · 28 November 2022]

I recently viewed this short online and felt compelled to leave a review. It's not often you see a short that sticks with you - and this one does just that. I enjoyed it so much that I viewed it twice and I'm sure I will return to it again in the future. It is a dark drama set around the themes of caring and mental health - themes that are not covered enough on screen. Wonderful performances from the lead actors, Nathaniel Parker and Joel Beckett. I was also blown away by the fact that this was a debut from the director, as the direction and writing was fantastic. I would love to see what the director does next as this was an interesting first film and a conversation starter for what it covers.

A superb thought provoking short from a debut director

[brendanbarry123 · 10/10 · 22 June 2023]

I throughly enjoyed this short film. It's dark, gritty and very real. All the right ingredients for a dark drama.

The acting from the main cast is superb, with Nathaniel Parker putting on a rememberable performance that is award worthy.

As it's short format, it's just 10 minutes, but I would have happily watched a much longer version of this to see the relationship between the brothers develop.

The soundtrack works really well with the mood and tone of the film, and adds another layer - as all soundtracks should.

It's a film I will revisit in the future and will definitely stay with me for the next few days. Looking forward to seeing what comes from the director, Jason Ruddy, next.

Dark short with heavy themes

[filmnightuk · 10/10 · 8 April 2024]

This was a really nicely paced, well directed short film which tackles important themes when it comes to taboo subjects. For a low budget short, this film had really high production values, with great cinematography, incredible acting talent and a emotion, professional score. As a film lover and someone that appreciates short form film, Hunting Bears is one of the stand out ones I've seen. It stayed with me for several days, as all good films should, and since I have watched it another two times, picking up on little things I missed the first time round. Parker and Beckett are on top form, a duo who I think work well together and should be on screen more often. All in all, worth ten minutes of your time.

A moving, thoughtful film for carers

[nipsems_admirer · 10/10 · 30 September 2023]

Hunting Bears is a dark drama, with also a slight thriller aspect to it. The performances from the leads (Nathaniel Parker and Joel Beckett) is flawless. I would love to see them both perform together again, as there was a real sense of chemistry between them - even in a film of this kind.

There are not many films that touch the subject of carers and how looking after a loved one might affect them mentally. Hunting Bears explores this subject carefully and clearly lovingly, but also in a thought provoking way.

Overall I really enjoyed it (would have loved it to be longer). It is definitely a short that will stay with me for a while.