Movies

Commentary: By taming its chaos, ‘The Bear’ bravely shows us what addiction recovery looks like

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In the beginning there was chaos.

3 years ago, FX’s show “The Bear” burst onto our screens, keeping us riveted. The shouting, the swearing; the gravy-spilling, clattering bowls, greasy chaos, and jerry-built tension of the Chicago sandwich shop, The Beef, along with its chaotic staff, particularly elite chef Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), who took over The Beef after his brother Mikey (Jon Bernthal) committed suicide, impressed critics and sent the collective cortisol level of our culture skyrocketing.

The critics labeled it as “tension time-bomb” and “rush of adrenaline”; both present and past restaurant staff reported symptoms similar to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and the audience couldn’t get enough, devouring it enthusiastically.

In the second season, Carmy’s determination to transform The Beef into a high-end restaurant added an extra layer of tension. With actual funds provided by Uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt) and the wellbeing of the staff, such as Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), Marcus (Lionel Boyce), Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas), Sugar (Abby Elliott), and Cousin Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) at stake, the situation became a matter of life or death.

In the episode titled “Fishes,” a festive holiday feast laden with emotional turmoil unfolded, exposing the dark origins of a family marked by alcoholism (as depicted by Donna, played by Jamie Lee Curtis) and desertion (Carmy’s father). This compelling tale left viewers craving more.

Given that we were watching TV, it was expected that the chaotic disorder would eventually lead to success – after all, isn’t it true that one can’t reach greatness without pushing oneself and others to the brink first? So when Bear, at the end of Season 2, pulled off a successful opening night, despite Carmy being trapped in a fridge and experiencing an intense existential crisis, our strong affection for the “yes chef” madness was confirmed. A shower of Emmys and bursts of dopamine followed.

Review

‘The Bear’: Apologies and reconciliations lift the mood in Season 4

As a passionate cinephile, I’ve just binge-watched the newest chapter of ‘The Bear’, and let me tell you, it’s been an emotional rollercoaster! Our hero, Carmy, and his dedicated team face numerous hurdles – a scathing restaurant critique being one of them. Yet, amidst all these challenges, there’s an undeniable sense of hope and happiness brewing. It’s a must-watch for those who love a good underdog story!

Apart from being able to function is a relatively low threshold for achievement, even in the restaurant industry. However, Carmy, despite his skills, is an absolute disaster, and creator Christopher Storer doesn’t seem inclined to uphold the conventional, and unfortunately toxic, belief that madness is inherent to genius – a fact that has left many viewers disappointed.

In Season 3, when Storer and his team decided to take a more deliberate pace, focusing on untangling the complex emotions driving The Bear’s kitchen, some viewers felt let down. Having grown accustomed to the show’s high-energy intensity, they voiced their dissatisfaction passionately. They felt that “The Bear” had lost its edge and was becoming monotonous, dull, repetitive, and overly reliant on guest stars; it should have concluded with Season 2 or ideally been turned into a movie instead.

So far, reactions to Season 4 have ranged widely – while some criticize it as more of the same stagnation, others praise it as a return to form. It’s ironic that this season starts with the staff at The Bear dealing with a divided review from the Chicago Tribune about their restaurant. (A nod to the idea that newspaper reviews still hold significant power, even though The Bear’s absence on social media has been a cause for concern for quite some time.)

It seems that Carmy’s constant drive to alter the menu each day, which often left his team feeling uneasy due to the constant changes, was viewed negatively rather than positively.

He shares with Syd that they found the atmosphere unpleasant after their meeting. She counters by saying they disliked the disorder. He questions if he enjoys chaos. She suggests that while he believes he requires it to excel, he could still be exceptionally gifted without this compulsion for disorder and mess.

From the beginning of Episode 1, Syd’s message carries a clear and direct message about addiction, which is often unresponsive to subtleties. As previously mentioned, “The Bear” series explores the dangers and long-term effects of addiction. This encompasses Donna’s struggle with alcohol, Mikey’s dependency on painkillers, Carmy’s obsession with an unattainable perfection, and possibly the contemporary TV audience’s reliance on stress hormones like cortisol.

Television

Individuals who grew up with parents who were alcoholics often exhibit similar behaviors, regardless of whether they themselves consume alcohol. This is evident in the portrayal of the main character, Carmy Berzatto, in Season 3 of FX’s “The Bear.

During the unfolding of Season 4, as it delves deeply into self-reflection and genuine relationships, viewers may ponder why “addictive” has evolved to be the most flattering accolade in the realm of television.

Addiction can be quite cunning, easily manipulating your brain’s chemistry in various ways. Our focus as a society seems to have shortened over time, and the thrill of dealing with crises, whether real or perceived, can lead us to seek out similar situations repeatedly. Even on television shows, many dysfunctional family series tend to progress their characters’ emotional development in small steps, often taking a step forward only to take two steps back. It’s the chaos that viewers are drawn to, as it provides an engaging spectacle.

In comedies, it’s delightful to witness characters find themselves in tricky situations, which provides enjoyment as we watch them struggle desperately to escape. The early episodes of “The Bear” elevated this appeal to an unprecedented degree.

Instead of maintaining the intensity and high stakes, Storer now seems focused on delving into the reasons why numerous individuals believe that a constantly boiling crucible is essential for greatness. He’s even prepared to deconstruct some elements that contributed to his show’s popularity in order to accomplish this exploration.

frankly speaking, it doesn’t get any more daring than this, particularly in the realm of streaming, where shows often employ suspenseful cliffhangers at the end of each episode to hasten the pace of a series – nothing ignites a binge-watching spree quite like a racing pulse.

Similar to Carmy, Storer seems unwilling to settle for past achievements; instead, he’s prepared to venture into unconventional paths. In an effort to truly depict the importance and challenge of recovery on both a small and large scale, “The Bear” serves as an innovative experiment that is hard to compare with anything else.

At the start of this season, Uncle Jimmy sets a countdown for the Bear, indicating that unless something extraordinary happens, he’ll be forced to shut him down. However, Carmy, who can’t resist drama, insists they will still earn a Michelin star, a solution to all their problems, even though there seems to be compelling evidence against it (The gun introduced early in the story must go off later is one of many tropes that “The Bear” subverts).

The rest of the team, fortunately, adopts a more practical stance. With Richie now serving as an unanticipated mentor for the Bear (and the series), he wisely seeks assistance from Terry’s exceptional kitchen staff at Ever, which no longer exists. Jessica, the chef, skillfully organizes the daily schedule, further highlighting the illogicality and potential harm of the auteur concept – true greatness is rarely a solo endeavor.

With Carmy letting go, external allies join in. Luca (Will Poulter), who’s arrived from Copenhagen, lends a hand to Marcus and assists Tina as well. Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson) brings on a seasoned mentor, played by Rob Reiner, to help him expand the Beef sandwich window. Meanwhile, Sweeps (Corey Hendrix) seeks advice from another sommelier, portrayed by the retired master Alpana Singh.

Thankfully, Carmy is back in Al Anon, and what’s more, he goes to see his mom. This enables Donna, who’s now sober, to acknowledge her past mistakes and strive for reconciliation – another remarkable portrayal by Curtis that could earn him another Emmy nomination.

The show has undergone a significant transformation from its initial debut three years ago. There are significantly fewer chaotic kitchen scenes and more shots of Chicago’s beautiful exteriors. Contrary to expectations, the wedding of Richie’s ex, Tiffany (Gillian Jacobs), brings together many characters from the iconic “Fishes” episode without any issues related to Berzattos and Faks. A tense altercation between Sugar and her former best friend Francie Fak (Brie Larson) momentarily disrupts the peace, but the event ultimately becomes a heartwarming celebration of love and reconciliation. Even a group therapy session, disguised as an impromptu gathering under the table where Richie’s daughter Eva (Annabelle Toomey) has hidden herself, takes place during this joyous occasion. The scene, which involved all the main characters and seemed to defy logic due to the table’s ability to be “bigger on the inside” and its capacity to hold the wedding cake without it collapsing as they all exited, serves as a reminder that “The Bear” is not a comedy.

In this humble film critic’s opinion, not even the swift ticking of digital timers could replicate the intense, metallic, and acrimonious symphony that embodied the relentless, organic tension that defined the initial two seasons. It would be a white lie to claim I didn’t pine for it – the thrill of adrenaline is as addictive to me as it is to many others.

You know, that’s exactly the idea. True transformation isn’t something that happens swiftly or with the intensity of a lightning flash; it’s more about progress than perfection. And if you’re aiming for a life change, remember that you have to approach things differently. The journey towards recovery is a gradual process and can feel unusual at times, but it’s all part of the path towards a new way of living.

to underscore the challenge of overcoming addiction, not just through dialogue, but through demonstrating different actions. In essence, if you want your life to change, you must change your actions too.

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2025-06-27 23:32

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