Infinitely Polar Bear

Manic-depression has never seemed quite as much as fun as it does in Infinitely Polar Bear, writer-director Maya Forbes’ film. Partially inspired by her own life, the film is about a bipolar father (Mark Ruffalo), a harried mother (Zoe Saldana) and their two daughters (Imogene Wolodarsky and Ashley Aufderheide) trying to create some semblance of a normal childhood, amid the chaos of dad’s highs and lows and mum’s efforts to further her education, get a better job and keep the family from sinking into poverty. 

Ok, maybe ‘fun’ is being a little facetious, but the way Ruffalo’s condition is depicted in this well made, warm-hearted comedy-drama is more eccentric (and occasionally embarrassing to his girls) than upsetting, which actually makes for a pleasant change, but doesn’t provide much in the way of compelling storytelling.

That’s not to disparage Forbes, who displays a clean visual style (with a bit of a Wes Anderson influence), a sure-handed control of tone (especially in the more emotional scenes between Ruffalo and Saldana, both very good as two people who love one another but struggle to live together) and a way with actors (Wolodarsky, who is Forbes’ daughter, and Aufderheide are likeable and natural). It’s just that while Infinitely Polar Bear – the title is the family’s wordplay for Ruffalo’s condition – is a sweet, sad story, there’s not much to it.