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

Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Mark Ruffalo/Kendrick Lamar (2016)

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Soundtracks

The Northern Line
Music and lyrics by China Forbes
Performed by China Forbes
Published by Wow & Dazzle Music
Courtesy of Heinz Records

User Reviews

Heartwarming Film with Outstanding Performances

In the late 70's, in Boston, the bipolar Cameron "Cam" Stuart (Mark Ruffalo) lives with his mulatto wife Maggie (Zoe Saldana) and their daughters Amelia (Imogene Wolodarsky) and Faith (Ashley Aufderheide) 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 to improve her income and she is accepted by the 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 education. Will the scheme work?

"Infinitely Polar Bear" is a heartwarming film with outstanding performances. The dramatic situation of Cameron is shallow, but the movie is delightful to watch. Just as a curiosity, the girl Imogene Wolodarsky is the daughter of the director Maya Forbes. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Sentimentos que Curam" ("Feelings that Heel")