BearCity 2: The Proposal (2012)
Bear City 2 is not so much about the moment of the proposal, but more about the bigger concept proposal of getting married as a gay couple. Will Tyler get married to Roger because now he can?
Synopsis: This bear sequel picks up maybe a year or so after the last film. The entire cast of characters is back, but this time they have different, yet important issues. Roger and Tyler are about to get married. Roger’s friends are all at Bear Week in P-Town, and Tylers’ parents have come for the wedding. Fred and Brent are making a documentary about bears (surprise!) and in the process figuring out more about their relationship. Michael and Carlos are married now, but is their relationship on the rocks? We follow each couple on their journey as hilarity and more thoughts about the bear community are exposed.
One of the thoughts I had while watching Bear City was in light of the recent Supreme Court decision allowing same-sex marriage in all 50 states. It’s not a new idea – gay couples have been getting married in states where it’s legal for several years, but here we see a couple in New York who have the option to get married.
Many relationships progress to the point where marriage is like a logical conclusion. In Tyler and Roger’s case, they have been together for awhile now, but we can see in the beginning of the film that there might be some issues. Roger wants to take the next step while Tyler is showing signs of discontent. It’s in that context that the proposal takes place. So it’s less about whether or not same-sex couples should get married, but if a couple in trouble should get married.
In Fred and Brent’s case they aren’t married, although they act like they’ve been married for years. Again, it’s not because they have any questions about whether marriage itself is right for them, but the core issue is Fred’s commitment issues. Michael and Carlos apparently did get married, but now they are dealing with how their relationship functions as they are both working on their own projects and passions.
Overall, this film deals with the typical marriage-related issues that couples face, but with a layer of bear/gay issues on top. In most cases that layer serves up some funny stuff, and the relationship issues are ones that anyone gay or straight might face or relate to.
What is different from straight rom-coms is the continuation of the idea from the first film about the stratification of the bear community. There is a conversation about the difference between the muscle bears and the other bears – it’s called the “great divide.” Tyler’s new friend says, “We need more community in this community.” Again, we look at the irony of a community divided by what seems petty from a group forged to bring outsiders together.
I enjoyed watching this movie. It’s not going to make you see sunsets in a new way, but it’ll make you laugh, think, and feel good. The continuation of the couples’ relationships is interesting and fun, and I’m glad that we get to see how things progress. I think that Brent and Fred are the show stealers though with a fun relationship and some great lines and funny situations.
The parents were a fun addition to the story. Brent’s mother, played by the always wonderful Kathy Najimy, is a great addition to the story and cast. Tyler’s parents end up in some funny situations that some of us can relate to and others can cringe at.
Overall, a fun and engaging look at relationships and marriage, and how that looks in the bear community.
Full disclosure: I contributed to the Indiegogo campaign for this film because I liked the first one. I also just contributed to the campaign for the next film because I would love to see this group of characters taken to the next level of their relationships. There would be some awesomely funny moments as well as something to relate to. If you are interested in checking out the current Indiegogo campaign the link is here.
Availability:
BearCity2 Website: Streaming & DVD
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