museumofdave It's so refreshing to immerse yourself in a story about a child and an adult that isn't full of stupid pratfalls and smarty-pants retorts, that treats a young person as the sensitive human he is.Bear Cub is a compelling drama with comic overtones about a gay man having suddenly to deal with an encompassing responsibility outside of his job specs, who finds that the tot left on his doorstep will be his for some time. Of course, one can predict much of what happens, but because the lives of the men involved are not treated in a shallow manner, and because director Albaladejo respects both his characters and his audience and immerses us into the lives of a gay subculture called "bears" (that most folks are not familiar with), the narrative becomes of interest despite some familiarity. The actors are memorable, the settings in Madrid typical of most big cities, and the matter-of- fact treatment of some of the less savory aspects of gay night life is commendable. You'll fall in love with the kid just like everybody else! And don't forget to watch the first outtake in the extras--it's hilarious, but one easily understands why it was deleted.

joeva_za A friend recently lent me a DVD of "Bearcub" that he got in Europe and I must say that I enjoyed it. It starts out a startlingly with three "bears" having a threesome but then evolves into a moving realistic tale of Pedro who cares for his young nephew Bernardo while his hippie sister travels to India. It is well directed and acted. I expected some thing quite B-grade but this was quite charming. Note I believe that the actor who played Pedro is "Jose Luis Garcia Perez". David Castillo who plays young Bernardo is amazingly credible - and there are some mature conversations between him and his uncle about sexuality (Bernardo's mum believes that he is gay too). There are some good characterizations of Pedro's lovers and friends; the babysitter and other neighbors as well as Bernardo's paternal grandmother who tries to gain custody of him.

rander4 I had the opportunity to see a sold-out showing of this movie during the Rochester Image Out Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, and I recently watched it again on DVD. It is a moving story of a defiantly single gay man who becomes the guardian of his nephew. His apprehension at taking care of his nephew dissolves when he is forced to make some difficult choices. There are many tender moments in the film, and it is surprisingly funny. Some of the content has been edited for the DVD, but most of the cut scenes are included as extras. One of the aspects that should be mentioned is that the lead character and his friends are part of the gay sub-culture known as "bears." This group represents many of the gay men who do not fit into the gay image that is often presented in film. No one is young, thin, and without facial hair except for the nephew, sister, and grandmother. The movie provides a frank and honest view of the bear community, as well as a realistic portrayal of defining a family under unusual circumstances.

unclebear-1 It's refreshing to see a movie that portrays "another" kind of gay man. Not the kind with the funny talk, the limb wrist and the feminine strut, but the kind with hair on his chest, a healthy pot belly and a full beard. Gay issues aside, this movie is as funny as it can get. The accent is a killer (for those who understand castilian Spanish) and the acting is superb. The unexpectedly orphaned child finds a surrogate father within the very active social life of his gay uncle, portrayed brilliantly by José Luis García Pérez. Pedro's (the uncle) friends are truly a funny bunch of friendly bears in the Madrid forest as they try to assist him in raising the child the best way possible; the best way they know. The grandmother, who adds a touch of "evil" in the story, doesn't seem to think so. Here's the true conflict. I totally recommend this movie to anyone gay, with a gay in the family or simply to anyone that wants to have a good time following this cachorro (bear cub) in his adventures with his fully developed bear-uncle.