Cocaine Bear (2023)
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A bear becomes dangerously aggressive after consuming a stash of cocaine in the woods.
The story
In 1985, a drug smuggler's plane crash leaves a massive shipment of cocaine in the Chattahoochee–Oconee National Forest. A local bear consumes the drugs and becomes dangerously aggressive, attacking anyone who enters its territory. Meanwhile, a drug kingpin's son and a fixer travel to the area to recover the lost shipment, while a local detective investigates the crash. Simultaneously, a group of children and their guardians wander into the woods, unaware of the danger lurking in the brush. The paths of the desperate smugglers, the determined law enforcement, and the unsuspecting civilians collide in a tense and violent confrontation in the wilderness.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After a smuggler's plane crashes in 1985, a bear consumes a large quantity of cocaine and becomes a violent threat in the Chattahoochee–Oconee National Forest. The plot follows multiple groups: a local detective named Bob investigating the crash; a drug kingpin, Syd White, who sends his son Eddie and a fixer named Daveed to recover the drugs; and a pair of children, Dee Dee and Henry, who wander into the woods. As the various groups converge on the forest, they are hunted by the aggressive bear. The narrative follows the escalating violence as characters are attacked or killed by the bear. In the climax, the groups find the stash at a waterfall. While the survivors manage to escape the bear's immediate vicinity, Syd White is ultimately disemboweled by the bear and her cubs after refusing to leave the cocaine. The film ends with the smuggler's son reuniting with his family while the remaining cocaine is moved to New York.
- First release year
- 2023
- Runtime (minutes)
- 95
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Elizabeth Banks
- Writers
- Jimmy Warden · writer
- Cast and characters
- Keri Russell; O'Shea Jackson Jr.; Christian Convery; Alden Ehrenreich; Brooklynn Prince; Isiah Whitlock Jr.; Margo Martindale; Ray Liotta
- Genres
- black comedy; horror; comedy; thriller
- Themes
- man versus nature
- Tone and mood
- darkly hilarious; violent; gross-out
- Setting
- 1985 in the Chattahoochee–Oconee National Forest, Georgia, and nearby locations like Knoxville, Tennessee.
- Premise and plot tags
- animal horror; drug trade; survival
- Source material / true-story basis
- The true story of a bear that ingested cocaine in 1985.
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics but was noted for its high production value and the bear's performance.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 54 · scale: 100 · review count: 58; PostTrak · score: 80% · scale: percent
- Awards and nominations
- Best Villain (the bear) · MTV Movie & TV Awards · 2023 · nominated; Higher · Best Comedy · 2023 · won; Payoff · Best Thriller Poster · 2023 · won; Ursa Coca · Best Radio/Audio Spot · 2023 · won; Outstanding Achievement for Character Animation in a Live Action Production · Annie Awards · 51st · nominated
- Production trivia
- The film is dedicated to actor Ray Liotta.; The film's production budget was $3035 million.; The film inspired mockbusters like Meth Gator and Crackcoon.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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