Infinitely Polar Bear (2014)

A manic-depressive mess of a father tries to win back his wife by attempting to take full responsibility of their two young, spirited daughters, who don't make the overwhelming task any easier.

Director:

Maya Forbes

Writer:

Maya Forbes

Stars:

Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Imogene Wolodarsky

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 3 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mark Ruffalo	...	Cam Stuart
Zoe Saldana	...	Maggie Stuart
Imogene Wolodarsky	...	Amelia Stuart
Ashley Aufderheide	...	Faith Stuart
Nekhebet Kum Juch	...	Kim
Manoah Angelo	...	Thurgood
Muriel Gould	...	Gaga
Tod Randolph	...	Ruth-Ann
Beth Dixon	...	Pauline Stuart
Keir Dullea	...	Murray Stuart
Georgia Lyman	...	Becca
Paul Elias	...	Dick
Chris Papavasiliou	...	Mr. Fabrini
Patrick Shea	...	Business Man 1
Liam McNeill	...	Young Man 1

Storyline

In the late 1970s, in Boston, the bipolar Cameron "Cam" Stuart lives with his wife Maggie and their daughters Amelia and Faith in an isolated house in the countryside. When Cam is fired from his job, he has a mental breakdown and Maggie is forced to institutionalize him. When he is released, he moves to a small apartment while Maggie works to support the children. She decides to apply to an MBA program to improve her income and she is accepted by Columbia University in New York. She asks Cam to take care of the girls for eighteen months and he agrees despite his fears. Maggie moves to New York and Cam is responsible for Amelia and Faith's education. Will the scheme work?

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Plot Keywords:

crepe | machete | columbia university | rent controlled apartment | lithium | 

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Taglines:

Sometimes family is the best medicine.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 June 2015 (USA)

Also Known As:

Amor Polar

Filming Locations:

Providence, Rhode Island, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,700,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$47,000, 21 June 2015, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,428,647, 11 October 2015

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paper Street Films,Bad Robot,KGB Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Based on Director Maya Forbes' life. Her daughter plays her in the film. After the credits roll, there is a picture of her real-life parents, upon whom the movie is based.

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Goofs

On a book shelf there are various board games in the background, including "Trivial Pursuit." The movie is set in 1978, Trivial Pursuit was not released on the market until 1982.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Amelia Stuart: [narrating] My father was diagnosed manic depressive in 1967. He'd been going around Cambridge in a fake beard calling himself Jesus John Harvard. When he got better, he started working in public television in Boston. He met my mother there. He walked up and took her picture. On their first date, he took her on a driving tour of New England and told her all about his nervous breakdowns. She didn't care. She said it was a crazy time. Half the people they knew were going bananas. So ...

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Connections

Featured in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Mark Ruffalo/Alan Rickman/James Taylor (2015)

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Soundtracks

The Pirate Song
Written by Maya Forbes
Performed by Imogene Wolodarsky and Infinitely Polar Bear Cast & Crew
Courtesy of Beurre Noir Music

User Reviews

Mark Ruffalo Will Make You Bark with Pleasure

This incredible actor is given full reign in a film which capitalizes on his ability to be both sweet and intolerably infantile. I am a fan!

I laughed a lot and I really appreciated insight into the world of bi-polar craziness depicted with an even hand and so much love. It was also a skillful depiction of a chaotic 1970's childhood.

This is the director's first feature film, but she knocked it out of the park. Although I would say that casting Mark Ruffalo as a Boston WASP is improbable, it worked for me. The scenes of his extended family are worth the price of admission alone.

Zoe Saldana makes the move possible as she loves everything about Mark Ruffalo that anyone does. I do not know Mark Ruffalo, but I know that he is smart, good-looking, interesting and an exceptionally warm person. The miracle is that this film-maker can tell the story of a difficult youth without any rancor and with insights which are subtle, heart-breaking and hilarious.

The children in this film give it great authenticity. I vote for them!