Brigsby Bear | |
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![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Dave McCary |
Screenplay by |
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Story by | Kyle Mooney |
Produced by |
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Starring |
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Cinematography | Christian Sprenger |
Edited by | Jacob Craycroft |
Music by | David Wingo |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | Sony Pictures Classics |
Release dates |
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Running time | 97 minutes[1] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $681,632[2] |
Brigsby Bear is a 2017 American comedy-drama film directed by Dave McCary in his feature directorial debut, written by Kevin Costello and Kyle Mooney, and starring Mooney, Claire Danes, Mark Hamill, Greg Kinnear, Andy Samberg, Matt Walsh, and Michaela Watkins. It tells the story of a captive man raised in a bunker since he was a baby, where he obsessed over a children's television program titled Brigsby Bear, being rescued by the authorities. When he realizes Brigsby Bear was created by his captor that he called his dad, his fascination leads him to finish the storyline himself.
The film was inspired by McCary, Mooney, and Costello's middle school experiences making short films together, with a story stemming from Mooney's fascination with 1980s children's shows. Principal photography took place in Utah during Mooney and McCary's break from working on Saturday Night Live in 2016. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2017, and was theatrically released by Sony Pictures Classics on July 28. Upon release, Brigsby Bear received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the script, direction, cast, and art design, and also commended the film's sentimental tone.