It’s not every day that a movie about a bear on a drug-fueled rampage becomes a Hollywood sensation, but that’s exactly what’s happening with Cocaine Bear. With a cast that includes Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Alden Ehrenreich, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Brooklynn Prince, Isiah Whitlock Jr., (character actress) Margo Martindale, Kristofer Hivju, and the late Ray Liotta, this film is a force to be reckoned with.
Liotta, who passed away just last year, makes one of his final big-screen appearances in this action-comedy about a black bear that’s high on cocaine. Director Elizabeth Banks recalls working with Liotta, who played the movie’s villain, as a life-changing experience. “When any actor of Ray’s caliber puts trust in you as a director, it’s a gift. But Ray gave me so much more,” Banks says.
But the real star of the show is the titular bear, who’s as high as a kite and ready to wreak havoc. Banks took the film seriously, drawing inspiration from true-life animal attacks on humans. “It had to feel like a NatGeo documentary about a bear that did cocaine. It couldn’t be something silly. It couldn’t seem animated in any way,” Banks says. And with her love for gore and Evil Dead, the movie is sure to be a wild ride.
So what makes Cocaine Bear so special? For starters, it’s the only movie to ever have “cocaine” and “bear” in the title. And with Banks’ commitment to making the audience believe that the animal is real, this film is sure to be one for the history books. So sit back, pop some popcorn, and brace yourself for the ride of a lifetime.
