[Greenpoint Film Fest] ‘Bear-Like’ review: Strong doc about bears in Alaska

Bear-Like is as much a story about people as it is a documentary about bears. Director Roman Droux gets to live out a childhood fantasy. With the help of a bear researcher, he gets to spend some time working with bears. It has moments of drama and is filled with an overall charm.

Unsurprisingly, the documentary is beautiful. Taking place in the far end of Alaska, Bear-Like will stun the viewer with its striking mountains and beautiful streams. The film will constantly have audiences stopping to catch their breaths.

These are wild animals in the natural environment, so there are also moments of drama and tension. In particular are some stunning fight scenes that will rival anything ever seen in a documentary. Many times during Bear-Like, Droux and David Bittner get (too) close to the creatures they are filming. 

Of course, the true stars of the documentary are the bears themselves. Many times with nature documentaries, there has to be an initial interest from the person watching. Bear-Like gets around this by building an actual narrative. An important part of the documentary is watching a family of bears in their struggle to survive.

Bear-Like is an enjoyable documentary that shows the joy of life. Director Roman Droux does not allow his obvious love of the movie’s topic to get in the way of the more technical aspects. Those looking for a movie about bears will definitely enjoy this, but it will end up pleasing anyone who has a chance to watch it.