• Release year: 2026
• Director: Christopher Storer.
• Producers: Duccio Fabbri, Carrie Holt de Lama, Karen Joseph Adcock, and David Woods.
• Screenplay by: Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach.
• Cinematography by: Andrew Wehde.

Shotgun Commentary: the titbit all fans of The Bear (2022–2026) low-key wanted, even if we didn’t quite need it.

Review

Gary is here to remind you of The Bear’s distinct bittersweet flavour in preparation for its upcoming fifth and last season, which will premiere on FX and Hulu on the 25th of June. It’s a standalone story that can work as both special bonus content for The Bear and its own film about friendship and mental health.

Context

The narrative follows Michael (Jon Bernthal) and Ritchie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), two best friends going on a road trip. The goal is simple: to deliver a box from Chicago to Gary, Indiana. It’s about a 50-minute drive, so perhaps ‘road trip’ is a bit too generous, but let’s go with it for the sake of Ritchie’s excitement.

Ritchie treats the affair like it is some kind of secret mission only he and his best friend can do. This attitude contrasts greatly with that of Michael, who just wants the whole thing to be over before it even begins. Michael’s cynicism and disenchantment clash with Ritchie’s unnatural optimism towards everything in life, leading to constant arguments between the two men. Still, their friendship is strong enough to keep putting their flaws aside and stick together, or at least that is what you are guided to think.

Beauty in simplicity

As far as films about friendship and mental health disorders go, this one is easily in the top ten ever made. It is concise, straightforward and sticks to its point. An hour-long feature where, for once, you won’t have to sit through ridiculously long speeches pulled out of nowhere and cringe-worthy dramatic confessions that magically heal any and all damage previously made. Friendship is not about bracelets or parties or even inside jokes. It’s about staying when things are bad, when it hurts to stay. It’s about knowing the worst is coming and holding fast nonetheless.

Those of you who have been following The Bear already know about Ritchie and Michael. However, the latter has been an elusive figure throughout the show for obvious reasons not to be discussed in this review in case any of you haven’t watched the series yet. His appearances are heavily influenced by the people who tell stories about him or remember him from their point of view. As a result, the real Michael is quite the mystery, especially considering his tragic nature and all the events that his actions prompted.

Wrapping up

The feature is a great opportunity to peer further into this complicated character whose story is told from an entirely new point of view. It is not the first time Ritchie thinks, recalls, or narrates one of his adventures with Michael. Nevertheless, it is the first time he does so to himself, with no audience to embellish for. As a result, the tale is not the usual heart-warming but hilariously cringe account that makes Michael look good. It is a more honest anecdote, one that finally shows Michael’s complexity as it was. Not that of a tragic hero or the family clown, but of a man afflicted by an emptiness he cannot control, manage, or understand.

Did that sound too depressing? Tough. That’s The Bear for you. A show that, despite leaving you empty and achy after Every. Single. Episode, still somehow manages to qualify for (and actually win) awards in the comedy category. Then again, yours truly did make a fool of herself crying with laughter on a plane thanks to Gary, so I’ll lay low on my “The Bear is NOT a comedy” claim just this once.

All in all, Gary is quite simply a must-watch if you like the show and a fantastic watch even if you do not. The research on mental health is astonishingly great, both in terms of script and acting, and the story itself is compelling enough to keep you hooked until the very last scene, which delivers a potentially huge twist right before the show’s final season.

Advice to take from this movie:

• One can never really get to know a person.
• Perfect relationships do not exist.
• Get yourself a patient friend. There is nothing more valuable.

What’s your take? Have you watched Gary? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message on my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀