A Bear in the Woods
2024 · 11m · USA
Directed by Andrew Laurich
Tones: absurdist, darkly comic, humorous, tense
A couple's romantic camping trip is disrupted by a hungry bear, forcing them to confront gender norms, relationship power dynamics, and each other as Mark struggles to perform his expected role as protector.
Picked by Margot
The scouts
Force Majeure comp on a bear attack — at least they're honest about it. Could be a solid 10-minute riff if the dialogue doesn't smother the dread, but I'm bracing for sitcom beats with a CGI bear.
Laurich pitches comedic Ostlund, which is a high bar but a coherent one; the Vimeo engagement (199 likes, mature tag) suggests it lands the cringe. Worth a viewing for the tonal experiment alone.
10:42, 18.3K views and 199 likes — a high engagement ratio for a bear-attack relationship-dynamics comedy, and pairing director Laurich with editor Randall Maxwell on the cut suggests the comic tension was sculpted in post. Force Majeure on a tighter clock can absolutely work if the performances stay grounded.
Reviews
A Bear In The Woods is a fun time with a sweet message, the bear looks dynamite, and the direction keeps the tension nice and high.
A Bear in the Woods isn't just a simple survival horror comedy, but a witty exploration of modern relationships, gender roles, and the pressures of societal expectations, all cleverly masked beneath a veneer of absurd humor.