The Disney Plus series does not sell recipes or Instagram menus. Deep down ‘The Bear’ doesn’t even go to the kitchen
The synopsis of ‘The Bear’ makes us fear the worst. A successful chef who quits his job at one of the best restaurants in the world to take over the sandwich shop his brother ran after his suicide in a Chicago neighborhood. We might think the main character manages to get the business off the ground and the thing ends up with cute little bowls that have their edges wiped clean before serving to the happy customer. How many gastronomic fables have we seen like this?
However, the Disney Plus series does not sell recipes or Instagram menus. Deep down, ‘The Bear’ isn’t even about cooking, it’s about the work life devours us, going back to the roots, the family legacy, addictions, the neighborhood, the work ethic, grief, pride in class. From the first of eight half-hour episodes, it communicates the stress and anxiety of working to the limit in a space as small as a kitchen. The atmosphere and spirit are reminiscent of dramas about the ‘blue collar’ universe that American cinema mainly tackled in the 70s and 80s. Chicago is another protagonist. And although the protagonists have an iPhone, the series could be set in a bygone era. That’s why Genesis, Wilco, Counting Crows, Pearl Jam, REM, The Beach Boys…
With a seventh episode of barely twenty minutes shot in one sequence shot, a marvel of suspense, ‘The Bear’ contains dreamy moments in the mind of its protagonist, merry bursts of comedy and an avalanche of information in the dialogues with a nervous camera pointing to Scorsese’s cinema. It may be overwhelming and difficult at first to digest so much nervousness and stress, so much chaos and uncertainty, but the final reward is worth it.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
