Barely High…
Cocaine Bear is a 2023 comedy horror film directed by Elizabeth Banks and written by Jimmy Warden. It is loosely inspired by the true story of the “Cocaine Bear“, an American black bear that ingested several kilograms of a bag containing about 75 lb (34 kg) of lost cocaine. The film stars Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Christian Convery, Alden Ehrenreich, Brooklynn Prince, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Margo Martindale, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Ray Liotta. It is dedicated to Liotta, who died May 26, 2022.
Cocaine Bear was released in the United States on February 24, 2023, by Universal Pictures. The film opened to generally positive reviews from critics and grossed over $90 million against a production budget of $30–35 million.
The film is loosely inspired by the events surrounding a 175-pound (79 kg) American black bear that died after ingesting a duffel bag full of cocaine in December 1985. The cocaine had been dropped out of an airplane piloted by Andrew C. Thornton II, a former narcotics officer and convicted drug smuggler, because his plane was carrying too heavy a load. Thornton then jumped out of the plane with a faulty parachute and died. The bear, who died sometime after consuming the cocaine, was found three months later in northern Georgia alongside 40 opened plastic containers of cocaine. The bear is currently on display at the Kentucky for Kentucky Fun Mall in Lexington, Kentucky, which named the creature “Cocaine Bear” in 2015. The film’s plot differs from real-life events in a number of ways. Notably, the real-life Cocaine Bear is not known to have killed anyone after consuming drugs, and what transpired in the time leading up to its death from overdose is unknown.
In an interview with Variety‘s Adam B. Vary, Banks stated that “this movie could be seen as that bear’s revenge story.”
Cocaine Bear is the Featured Blog of the Month for February for its real-life history! You can expect to read a detailed critique of the 2023 film, Cocaine Bear. You can also read a recommendation for the film. There is also a detailed review of the history of the “Cocaine Bear,” and the incident with Andrew Thornton II that lead to the inspiration for the film. You can also watch an interview with director Elizabeth Banks and the cast with Today about the 80s era film. There is also a Top Ten List to commemorate the film being a Featured Blog of the Month, and for Cocaine Bear, the topic of the list is My Top Ten Bear Movies! And finally, as a Featured Blog of the Month film, you can watch the Official Trailer for the 2023 film and then plan on watching Cocaine Bear tonight!