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José Luis García Pérez, David Castillo, Diana Cerezo, Mario Arias, Arno Chevrier ... see more see more... , Josele Roman , Elvira Lindo , Empar Ferrer

A man tries to leave his wild life behind him for the sake of a young boy in this comedy drama. Pedro (José Luis García Pérez) is a dentist who lives and works in Madrid. Pedro is also a "bear" -- sla... read more read more...ng for a gay man who is stocky and has lots of body hair. Pedro likes the company of other bears, and enjoys a freewheeling sex life until his sister Violetta (Elvira Lindo) arrives at his door with a special request. Violetta is traveling to India for two weeks, and wants Pedro to look after her son, nine-year-old Bernardo (David Castillo), while she's away. Pedro initially bristles at the idea of playing babysitter, but he soon warms to the situation, and develops a paternal bond his nephew. Pedro also gets some help from Manuel (Arno Chevrier), a former boyfriend who is looking to settle into a stable relationship. When Pedro gets word that Violetta has been arrested in India for drug smuggling and is likely to spend some time behind bars, he realizes that he's going to be stuck with Bernardo for a while -- and to his surprise, he doesn't mind the idea at all. But Doña Teresa (Empar Ferrer), the boy's paternal grandmother, openly disapproves of Pedro's lifestyle, and doesn't want Bernardo staying with his uncle. While Pedro is strictly mindful of his behavior around the house, he occasionally slips out for anonymous sex with fellow bears, and when a detective hired by Doña Teresa catches him in the act, it's an open question if he'll be allowed to have continued custody of his nephew. Cachorro (which translates as Bear Cub) received its American premiere at the 2004 Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

76% liked it

2,363 ratings

Critics

77% liked it

30 critics

R, 1 hr. 39 min.

Directed by: Miguel Albaladejo

Release Date: November 5, 2004

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DVD Release Date: May 10, 2005

Stats: 118 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (118)


  • January 5, 2011
    Really liked this bear culture movie. A bit dissappointed that gay movies have to alway include aids into everything. But there were some very wonderful moments within.
  • July 20, 2010
    this movie is about a guy who is a gay bear. bears in the gay community is someone who is often overweight and has a lot of natural hair. to tell you the truth, those gay bear types have always scared me, but we all have to overcome our phobias sonner or later, right?

    well this ... read morefilm is in that funny spanish (i think its called castilian). any film in castilian has its characters sounding really fruity, so i couldnt take this film seriously. it seems motivated by political correctness, but very good acting pervades it. it is light hearted even though some serious taboo-shattering themes are at hand.
  • May 15, 2009
    I enjoyed this immensely. Another movie that expands the definition of what a family is. I did find the ending a little abrupt but certainly worth watching.
  • August 6, 2007
    Wonderful Movie. It's great because it doesn't deal with the cliché gay movie plot lines. No AIDs, not fight for acceptance, no dead boyfriend, no getting beat u ect. it is simply a story centering around a character who happens to be gay. yes it's subtitled but so what, some of ... read morethe best movies are subtitled. it's a film step towards to "normalization" of homosexuality. No hackneyed stereotypical gays here. The character only noteworthy trait isn't that he is gay but that he is a well thought out multi-dimensional person. Score one for gay movies !
  • July 1, 2007
    A beautiful story of love and family. The subtitles can zip by quickly sometimes, but you forgive and move on because the story is so beautiful.
  • January 29, 2007
    An unconventional uncle becomes guardian to his young nephew in this sensitive tale. When he agrees to care for his sister's 9-year-old son Bernardo (David Castillo) for just a couple of weeks, Pedro (José Luis García-Pérez) decides it's best to curtail his active homosexual life... read morestyle. But the concerned uncle discovers that young Bernardo is wise beyond his years. When the boy's mother fails to return, Pedro must assume the role of parent. I would recommend this film to people who want to see a more diverse look at gay culture and to people who just want to see a heart warming film. It was nice to see a film focused on the 'bear' community within the gay culture. One of the better gay movies out there. Oh, and the dialogue movies at rapid speed. I had to rewind several times to keep up with the subtitles.

Critic Reviews


Ronnie Scheib
April 7, 2010
Ronnie Scheib, Chicago Reader

Thoroughly likable, it never resorts to sentimental cliches or moralistic epiphanies. Full Review

Wesley Morris
April 15, 2005
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

Suddenly this careful and patient movie turns cheap and hasty, with unexpected disclosures, desperate curveballs, and crocodile tears. It's not ruinous, but it's not good either. Full Review

John Monaghan
February 4, 2005
John Monaghan, Detroit Free Press

It turns into a subtle character study that both gay and straight audiences will find moving. Full Review

Desson Thomson
January 21, 2005
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

Had the story had more oomph to it, its stance would have seemed a lot more important as an artistic issue. But as things sit, it's an abstract plus indeed. Full Review

Mario Tarradell
December 30, 2004
Mario Tarradell, Dallas Morning News

A touching, frank movie about parenting. Full Review

Ruthe Stein
December 10, 2004
Ruthe Stein, San Francisco Chronicle

The film's ambitions are laudable, and it manages to be touching, funny and true to life. Full Review

Jessica Reaves
December 2, 2004
Jessica Reaves, Chicago Tribune

It's enough to give you faith in family dramas again. Full Review

November 18, 2004
Los Angeles Times

The strength of Bear Cub is that it eschews exposition in favor of gradual revelation. Full Review

V.A. Musetto
November 5, 2004
V.A. Musetto, New York Post

It unfortunately turns downbeat.

Stephen Holden
November 4, 2004
Stephen Holden, New York Times

A wise, sweet-natured Spanish film. Full Review

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