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SummaryA 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.

Directed By:Maya Forbes

Written By:Maya Forbes

Infinitely Polar Bear

Metascore
Generally Favorable
64
User score
Generally Favorable
7.2
My Score
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Metascore
Generally Favorable
64
56% Positive
18 Reviews
38% Mixed
12 Reviews
6% Negative
2 Reviews
  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
Jul 23, 2015
88
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
As the central character in “Polar Bear,” Ruffalo impressively explores the geography of a troubled mind, and makes the journey fascinating.
Jan 26, 2014
83
IndieWire
Drawing from the wellspring of her own life, Forbes' agile tone allows the film to indulge in heartbreak and humor with equal measure.
User score
Generally Favorable
7.2
74% Positive
37 Ratings
22% Mixed
11 Ratings
4% Negative
2 Ratings
  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
Jul 11, 2015
10
ledaumas
We have family members on both sides diagnosed with the bi-polar disorder. They are very different on how they handle it. This movie showed how some people handle the disorder, along with the moments that they are out of control, and it was very realistic. Mark Ruffalo did an excellent job of being sympathetic in his craziness. The young girls were great in their attempts to deal with their father, very true to what children do. Zoe Saldana was also excellent in her despair of handling an almost impossible situation. For us, some of the situations can be quite funny, while others are heartbreaking, and that's what the movie showed, living with crazy.
Jan 19, 2016
9
NikolayG
If you enjoy realistic intimate dramas, see this. Period. I gave Infinitely Polar Bear a pass several times because I assumed it was a documentary narrated by Morgan Freeman. But it is not. Instead, it is a wonderful movie (having nothing to do with polar bears) that delves into the nuances of character more than any movie I have seen for the past few years. It likely will not get much attention because it does not focus on anything particularly politically correct, and most films that focus on realistic drama that get any attention are either about the plight of women or gay men or trans-this or that. This film focuses on a mentally ill man (not so crazy it makes you want to turn off the TV; just eccentric in a very realistic way that has a negative impact on those around him). If he turned out to be a monster I'm sure this film would have been nominated for something, but the writer/director stuck with honesty. This is simply an honest, warm and yet not saccharine in any way, rendering of the early life of the writer/director, who was raised by a bipolar father - a man entertaining on film since we don't actually have to live with him, though I'm sure it was not great fun in reality - with an Academy Award worth performance by Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana in one of her best roles yet. Beautiful, touching, and funny.
Jan 26, 2014
80
The Telegraph
Forbes has a delicate but unsentimental approach, which gives her film the same infectious energy that blesses and curses Cameron. The end result feels good without feeling superficial.
Jun 17, 2015
63
New York Post
Cam (based on the director’s real-life father) is so charming and gifted in various ways that it’s easy to enjoy this fanciful look at a bohemian mixed-race family.
Jun 18, 2015
60
New York Daily News
Saldana has a harder lift, as Maggie is striving for something better yet has to often be reactive. In scenes with the adorable Wolodarsky and Aufderheide, she listens and acts intently. But there are too many times when she’s forced to just look worried. Still, Saldana, like so many things in Forbes’ likable but tricky film, does her best in a tough situation.
Jun 25, 2015
50
San Francisco Chronicle
More emphasis on these darker, subterranean elements might have made for a fuller experience, but Infinitely Polar Bear is really all about a father as seen from a child’s perspective. It’s better than a scrapbook item, as in a film made to be appreciated by one family. But it’s not quite a successful movie.
Jan 26, 2014
33
The Playlist
Forbes’ script simply cannot make the things she lived through alive for us in anything but the most glib, shallow and contrived way.
See All 32 Critic Reviews
Jan 15, 2016
9
katezoe
Wonderful film that deals with a very sensitive issue in a humane and funny way. The performances are excellent by Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Zaldana. Highly recommend it.
Dec 24, 2015
9
LeZee
About a father and his two little girls who has been there was each other. Based on the real life events of the director's childhood and it is her first directional film as well. Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana as her onscreen father and mother respectively, while her character as a 12 year old girl was played by her own daughter. I think it was a great team, the mother is the director, the daughter performing under her, the father producing it and it is their story. I was worried that this film's going to emotionally hurt me as I'm an easy target to strike with a theme like this as what the synopsis says and the trailer revealed. But I was prepared for that, I wanted to have a tearjerker flick and in the end, I had a great time with it as the fulfillment was way beyond than what I was expected. It was the story of a small family, a father and a mother and their two little girls that set in the 1978 Bostan city. Because of the condition of the father, the struggling family whose children are growing up needs a financial support for their better education and care. So the mother decides to sacrifice a few years of hers to go back to college to graduate and get a job. Now its between the father and the girls, how they spend those years together, which will be their worst nightmare as well as the best years of their lives. "We'll be braver, Daddy. Next time, I promise we'll be braver." It really scared me a few times, because of the temperament of the father character, kids playing with a machete and so on. A wonderful family flick, but only for the adult members. Because of the too much cigarette smoking, I mean Mark Ruffalo smoked almost all in his screen presence and obviously the excessive usage of the foul language is the other reason. So it is an R rated flick, but it was so perfect, the 70s atmosphere was spot on. Except the only bothering thing was the children never grew physically, while the cars, clothing style, society, cameras, the timeline has kept changing. But it did not leap extremely forward like a decade or something. That was not a big issue, while the film and its story telling kept the rhythm always on the high. Yep, there's no dull moments, whenever it began to sink under the emotion, repelled back with the same force which is why I hooked all the way. By the way I thought those innocent family sentiments were strongly appealing in a cute manner. Now we talk about the roles. Mark Ruffalo definitely deserves an Oscars nomination. But I can't declare the award for him as I have to find out how the other actors performed in their films. This is his best film in a lead I have seen, probably his career best. To me it is this year's version of the last year's JK Simmons performance for the movie 'Whiplash'. "Our dad is totally polar bear." The other side, Zoe Saldana was as usual in a charming and polite character. As I know she never disappoints her fans. Ruffalo and Saldana are one of the best on screen pair, looked so real, like a real couple. The two little girls were also awesome in their debuting film. The entire movie's focus was these four members, very occasionally outside characters come into play with hardly any lines to deliver. I wondered what is the meaning of the title and if your focus is on, you won't miss the explanation, which was so cute. An amazing fusion between the incredible narration and the background score. The tracks (some of them are not OST) as well very good that played till the credits rolled out. I liked 'The Pirate Song' that was written by the director and 'Oogum Boogum' was funny. Many of them I heard for the first time and thinking to grab them for my movie song collection. Overall, it will surely transform your mood by the end of the movie, I mean in a good way. Inspiring, yes the film inspires to have our own little family with kids. Especially a perspective of a father and his great responsibility was portrayed tremendously. And also the girls who saved their father from being lost. They stayed for each other and stayed that way as how a parent and his children should be as an example, but in a little harsh human nature. It is a rare gem, undoubtedly completely enjoyable. This was one of those that came silently into the productions. The earlier posters were unimpressive and made me stay away, but later, now it turned out one of my favourite flick from the 2015. Obviously movie fanatics loved this heartwarming family drama and I highly recommend it. As usual like I always say, whether you like it or not, but don't miss it. 9/10
Jan 13, 2016
8
BrianMcCritic
You have to appreciate Mark Ruffalo's layered performance as a bi-polar father who's left in charge of his two kids. This film is funny and sweet even when his mood switches. I kind of loved this film. A-
Apr 28, 2026
6
kbermancpa
mark ruffalo's (very good) character was supposed to be charming, and he was, a little, but he was mainly a jerk and an overgrown child. i was hoping that zoe soldana's (also very good) character would kick him to the curb. in the end, ****, i'm not gonna be a spoiler.
Jun 26, 2015
4
Brent_Marchant
Despite earnest efforts by Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana to make the material of this offering look better than it really is, the film misses the mark in countless ways, including everything from consistent styles of filming to having a coherent narrative to failing to resolve a host of story threads. If you've seen the trailer for this release, you've already seen all the best that it has to offer.
See All 50 User Reviews
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Jun 19, 2015
1 h 30 m
R
Sometimes family is the best medicine.

Awards

Golden Globes, USA
• 1 Nomination
Women's Image Network Awards
• 1 Win & 3 Nominations
Image Awards (NAACP)
• 2 Nominations
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