BearCity (2010)

Set in New York's gay "bear" scene and taking a cue from the popular HBO franchise "Sex and the City," BearCity follows a tight-knit pack of friends experiencing comical mishaps, ... See full summary »

Director:

Douglas Langway

Writers:

Douglas Langway, Lawrence Ferber

Stars:

Alex Di Dio, Kevin E. Smith, Joe Conti

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alex Di Dio	...	Simon
Kevin E. Smith	...	Santa (as Rockstar)
Joe Conti	...	Tyler
Carlos Abrieu	...	Computer Bear
Ross Rogers	...	Computer Bear's Boyfriend
Arthur H. Morgan	...	Construction Bear One
Oscar Maurosa	...	Construction Bear Two
Andrew McCormick	...	Finance Bear
Daniel Browne	...	Times Square Bear One
Jonathan Gati	...	Times Square Bear Two
Justin Ciambra	...	Dog Walker Bear
Paul Siljee Jr.	...	Auditioning Actor
Ashlie Atkinson	...	Amy
Robbyne Kaamil	...	Receptionist
Phillip S.R. Allison	...	Director (as Phillip Allison)

Storyline

Set in New York's gay "bear" scene and taking a cue from the popular HBO franchise "Sex and the City," BearCity follows a tight-knit pack of friends experiencing comical mishaps, emotionally sweet yet lusty romantic encounters and a cast of colorful, diverse characters as they gear up for a big party weekend.

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Plot Keywords:

gay | cafe | friendship | bowling alley | hairy chest | 

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Taglines:

Romance can be hairy

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 June 2010 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$5,980 (USA) (22 October 2010)

Gross:

$5,980 (USA) (22 October 2010)

Company Credits

Production Co:

BearCity Limits

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The DVD includes two Easter eggs: a deleted scene and an interview shot during production.

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Quotes

Bear Cafe patron: Hey, is anybody working here?
Brent: Shut the fuck up, Mary, don't get your panties in a bunch!

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Connections

Featured in Out of the Woods: The Making of Bear City (2010)

User Reviews

Sweet, Flawed, Charming - Could Have Been So Much Better

Cute with the typical amateurish qualities that make gay films of this nature either charming or painful, depending upon your sensibilities. The acting is earnest but decidedly nonprofessional. The only standout is Gregory Gunter, whose character (Michael) is utterly compelling and which Gunter plays with pathos and humor but not self-pity. Gerald McCulloch as Roger is large unwatchable, though it's hard to tell whether it's because his character is such a d***head or because the actor's own ego kept popping through. (If you watch his endless interview after in the DVD highlights, you'll see what I mean.) It's tough to make a film centered around bar culture without making it seem petty, vulgar, soul-crushing, and at least occasionally self-destructive; and it's an open question whether the directors nudged a bit to highlight those aspects or whether they were simply recording cinéma vérité. With all the sweetness that comes through in the struggles of the film's couples (complete with serious and often over-the-top drama), the film's central mystery remains what Tyler (Joe Conti) could possibly see in Roger, a smarmy, shallow, ego-bloated scene queen who not once but half a dozen times snubs Tyler to his face because Tyler isn't bear enough or muscley enough (or something enough) for the superficial, middle-class-white-boys-with-gym-memberships crowd by which Roger judges himself and his actions. Or, to put it another way, you may never understand why Tyler falls for and pursues Roger (to the extent of giving himself a makeover –a move that likely guarantees the doom of any relationship) and you'll certainly find yourself asking whether he has a shred of self-esteem in his body. The fact that Roger isn't what anyone could reasonably call a bear only adds to the confusion. Personally, I'd have gone for a little less Jennifer Anniston-esque comedy and paid a little more attention to the serious and genuinely dramatic (as opposed to simply flamboyant) issues that the film skates over like thin ice before turning safely back to shore: self-esteem issues among big men and the difficulty of cultivating and maintaining a positive body image in a gay "culture" ruled by gym Nazis and diet maniacs; the painful issue that's raised in the Michael-Carlos couple when Michael considers getting lap-band surgery (is he going to wind up so thin that Carlos won't be attracted to him anymore?); the double "coming out" required of non-bears who are attracted to men who are hairy and/or fat and/or older than they are and who face ridicule for their desires; and the uneasy co-existence of working-class bears and their middle- to upper-class counterparts who wear similar drag and occupy the same physical spaces in which "bear culture" is practiced but who, arguably, are essentially antagonists. _Bear City_ seems to intend to be a coup against the slavish cultural propaganda promulgated by so many "gay" indie films, but it's more of a bitch slap than the good hard sock in the jaw that's needed. Still, the film deserves credit for its beau geste and for starting a conversation within a medium that tends to pretend it doesn't understand the question.