INFINITELY POLAR BEAR

US, 2014, 88 minutes, Colour.
Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Imogene Wolodarsky, Ashley Aufderheide, Keir Dullea.
Directed by Maya Forbes.

On noticing this title in the list of films about to be released, I wondered what on earth this film could be about, almost expecting to find that was an animation film for a children’s audience. The word polar led to this conclusion.

On the other hand, the word polar is more regularly heard these days as part of bi-polar. And this is the subject of this film. It is based on a true story, the story of the father of the director, Maya Forbes drawing on her own experience as a child. And, in many ways, this is a look at a bi-polar condition from the point of view of the child, not a clinical exploration, but a dramatisation of the experience of living with such a father. What makes the film also interesting is the fact that the young girl in this film, representing the director, is actually played by the director’s daughter, Imogene Wolodarsky.

The setting is the past, the 70s the 80s, when diagnoses were more limited and medication for the condition was not extensive, lithium tablets being a regular prescription.

The father, Cameron, is played by Mark Ruffalo, a very good actor who is becoming quite versatile in his choice of roles over the years. He is a sympathetic presence, even when he is frustrating in his manic behaviour, even at times, without his medication, becoming quite threatening. He spends time in an institution, then in a halfway house, but unable to live with his wife and children as a family. This puts extraordinary pressure on his wife, played by Zoe Saldana, who has to be the breadwinner, although her husband comes from a fairly wealthy Boston family and the great-grandmother pays rent but is not willing to give too much money from her trust fund.

This means that the wife has to find a job but decides that she would be better able to cope and bring in income for the family if she went to New York to study for an MBA. She does and, for 18 months, Cameron has to be the parent for the children, living in an apartment, trying to cope with routines – and routines helping him to settle. He is also good working with his hands but, at times, the girls becoming too much for him (and sometimes too much for this reviewer, being rather petulant towards their father and insensitive to him despite knowing what he was suffering).

The main part of this rather short film focuses on those 18 months in Boston, an intriguing look at how Cameron tries to deal with the situation and, ultimately, comes through successfully.

Infinitely Polar Beer is not meant to be an accurate clinical portrayal of the bi-polar condition. Rather, it is a story which asks for empathy from the audience, appreciation and understanding of how difficult it is to live with the condition, mood swings, Cameron being prone to drinking, and at times trying to escape. But, it is an important part of his life and audiences will come to some understanding of bi-polar experience through sharing in a life rather than by analysis.

1. A film about mental illness? The bipolar condition? Manic depression? Alcoholism? Dramatising the condition? Insights?

2. Boston, the city, old wealth, poorer neighbourhoods? Holmes, apartments, institutions, the business world? The musical score?

3. 1978, knowledge of manic depression at this period? Medication? Lithium? The effect?

4. The director, some autobiographical experience? Her perspective? Her own daughter playing Amelia?

5. The introduction to Cam? The home-movies? His behaviour, clothes, his story, wealth, family background, Boston blueblood? Studies, being expelled? Meeting Maggie, marrying, the children? His breakdown? His coming to the car, in his briefs, in the cold, Maggie and the children, the year? The police taking him away?

6. Going to the institution, his getting out, the halfway house? Amelia’s visit? Taking him home?

7. The family in poverty, the great grandmother and her financial trust, hang the rent, the offer of the expensive car, Cam’s refusal, too expensive to run?

8. Maggie, as a person, devotion to her husband, difficulties in relating? The plan, to New York to 18 months, MBA, the decision to get a job, not welcoming Boston, black, mother of two children? Getting a job in New York, new arrangements?

9. The apartment, Cam and his daughters, care for them, routines and responsibility? His handling the situation, but prone to feel pressure? His skill in making and repairing things? Getting up, taking the children to school, cooking the meals? His exasperation with their behaviour and attitudes? Going out to friends, being locked out, his need for company? People’s reaction to him, the neighbour and his carrying the groceries, her closing the door, getting out of the lift?

10. The characters of the girls, their age, experience, limitations? Love for their mother? Relationship with their father? Often embarrassed by him? Going to the hard school and finding it difficult? The many occasions of petulance and anger? Going to the great grandmother, the issues of the car, repairing the old car? School? Tidying the house, Faith saying she wasn’t her father servant? His feeling like a servant? His making the flamenco skirt and her happiness?

11. Maggie, love, unable to stay, the sexual relationship with her husband? Her fears, going to New York, The MBA, coming for weekends, meeting the family, the free parking lot? The difficulties, the atmosphere, bonding with the girls, loyalty to Cam? Unable to go into his untidy and messy room?

12. The months passing, the seasons, changes, the development in each of the characters?

13. The children in the building, making friends, playing cards, basketball, Cam involved, the visit to the room, waiting till it was tidy, bonding with the children, the martial arts?

14. The effect on Cam, his sometimes desperation, going to the bar?

15. Maggie, the interviews, refusal, decision to stay New York?

16. One year later, the better school, the girls playing, wanting to be on their own, challenging their father, the waiting, farewell?

17. The perceptions of mental illness and behaviour seen more from the girls’ point of view than an adult point of view?