Infinitely Polar Bear - B

Mark Ruffalo

Rated R, 90 minutes

The affecting, quirky new indy dramedy "Infinitely Polar Bear" is a familiar family drama that is most memorable for the remarkably strong performance of its lead actor, who makes this effort worthwhile. A manic-depressive mess of a father named Cameron (Mark Ruffalo) tries to win back his wife (Zoe Saldana) by attempting to take full responsibility of their two young, spirited daughters Amelia and Faith (newcomers Imogene Wolodarsky and Ashley Aufderheide, who don't make the overwhelming task any easier. Directed and written by "The Larry Sanders Show" scribe Maya Forbes and autobiographical in nature, the touching new drama "Infinitely Polar Bear" would be an immensely frustrating experience if not grounded by the excellent, award-worthy turn from Ruffalo as the loving, eccentric father with some clear issues. The film's uneven flow, especially in its early chapters, can be a challenge, but Ruffalo's strong emotional core keeps the movie going, and in the end, its a wholly, emotionally satisfying experience. Saldana is also good as the mother trying to make her family's life better, and the unaffected performances from the precocious young girls and their chemistry with Ruffalo is also a treat; it helps that newcomer Wolodarsky, who plays older daughter Amelia, is Forbes' real-life daughter. Though the story is an original one (it's based on Forbes' childhood but some names are changed), the quirky tone reminded me of a "Squid and the Whale"/Baumbach-esque type of film, especially with all the unusual 1970's automobiles that flow in and out of it (the family's first station wagon in the movie is particularly fun). The final exchange between Ruffalo and Saldana's characters in trying to determine a workable family plan, is the best scene in the film and one you won't soon forget after you leave the theater. An honest portrayal of mental illness and its effects on families, "Infinitely Polar Bear" (so named by the girls in describing their father's issues with bipolar depression), is worth a look, and don't be surprised to see Ruffalo in awards contention at year's end.