Directed by Evan Kidd, Panda Bear It reads like the kind of title typically reserved for dreamy indie dramas about lost summers spent drinking by the river. But, within a few seconds, an actual panda bear — or at least an actor wearing a panda bear suit — appears onscreen in the plainly surrealist film. The shot itself is quite beautiful; a closeup of the panda’s eye set against the vast North Carolina landscape which, let’s face it, has never looked better. That the panda is so inextricably, and indeed casually, a part of the film’s DNA speaks to Kidd’s confidence in this strangely affecting metaphor.
The panda seems generally helpful, unobtrusive and unassuming, whether it’s lounging on the sofa reading comics — a consistent sight gag finds the character doing something mundane in the background of a scene while characters go about their daily business as though it isn’t there — or encouraging Kamus Leonardo (Damien Elliott Bynum), to take a shower. The protagonist’s girlfriend has recently passed away, and thought it’s never made explicitly clear how she went, there’s a reference to helplines that suggests her death may have been self-inflicted. The grieving process has left Kamus unmoored and unable to make music, his one passion in life.
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The creative struggle is laid bare as everything in Kamus’ life rapidly falls apart, from his job to his relationships, both close and otherwise. Eventually, the musician packs up and heads out into the wilderness, where some of Panda Bear It’s most stunning footage is captured. The director’s own cinematography is frequently breathtaking, particularly when the panda is shot standing amidst the reeds in fields that stretch as far as the eye can see. Kidd has a knack for making the natural world seem beautiful and imposing at the same time. When Kamus finds solace with an unlikely (human) companion, Panda Bear It is lent a further layer of intimacy.
There are several ways the central metaphor could be read. Ostensibly, the panda represents Kamus’ grief and inability to move on with his life. A panda keychain hanging in his car seems to suggest the wannabe rapper has perhaps even manifested the creature himself, either as his spiritual guide or his conscience writ large. On the other hand, the panda could be a symbol of writer’s block, which is something films with much larger budgets struggle to effectively communicate. Panda Bear It suggests plenty about the human condition without the need to bog itself down with exposition or endless, energy-sapping ruminations.
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Kidd’s movie is disarmingly funny, its restless energy and listlessness betraying a core of raw, exposed emotion. However, because the story only stretches to 63 minutes, there are also moments when it feels slightly rushed. In fact, the easiest comparison to be made here would be with an extended music video — albeit a gorgeously presented one. Thankfully, Kamus is working on a catchy song — the beating heart of the whole movie, and the clearest representation of what his character is actually feeling inside — which is helpful in selling the concept of the story as a whole
Bynum, who bears a passing resemblance to John David Washington (with his BlacKkKlansman beard intact), is terrific in the lead role. Kamus isn’t a particularly motivated or responsible person, but Bynum makes him endearing even when he’s stuffing his face with Cheetos while in the middle of a shift. Kamus’ interactions with the panda could have felt cloying or gimmicky, but Bynum treats the creature, manifestation or otherwise, as an everyday annoyance just like any other. When the duo settles down for a game of Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, the moment could easily be read as Kamus wrestling with his inner demons.
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The rest of the small cast fares less well. There’s a stilted quality to much of the delivery, which could more favorably be described as naturalistic if only Bynum and, later, Eric Hartley, who plays someone with whom Kamus finds a partner in grief, weren’t so comfortable in their respective roles. Still, Kidd is evidently working within his means, and there’s much to admire about what he’s achieved even within those limited confines. That the actors aren’t quite as seasoned isn’t necessarily a mark against him or Panda Bear It, rather it’s the reality of working in independent filmmaking with an idea bigger than the available resources.
The pain of losing someone, as well as the general pain of human suffering purely as a result of being alive, is sharply felt in Kidd’s film, his sophomore feature, which papers over the cracks with some stunning cinematography as well as Bynum’s revelatory performance. “I’m here, right? That’s gotta count,” Kamus argues at one point, a line that could easily have been the tagline for the movie. The only false note in this otherwise emotionally resonant story, in fact, is when the panda’s identity is revealed. Leaving it a mystery would have lent a further layer of authenticity to the proceedings. As it stands, Panda Bear It ties things up a little too neatly for a story with a panda as its co-lead.
Joey Keogh (@JoeyLDG) is a writer from Dublin, Ireland with an unhealthy appetite for horror movies and Judge Judy. In stark contrast with every other Irish person ever, she’s straight edge. Hello to Jason Isaacs.
Categories: 2020s, 2021 Film Reviews, Drama, Featured, Film Reviews
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