12/12 ForReel Score | 5/5 Stars

The restaurant business is a tough nut to crack, and even if you manage to find some success, it takes a tremendous amount of motivation to keep things on the incline. FX’s new series The Bear examines the trials and tribulations of a fractured family as they try to save one of downtown Chicago’s staple hole-in-the-wall sandwich shops from spiraling out of control. The series is a feast for the eyes and full of heart. Though it may initially come off as jarring, The Bear demonstrates every possible emotion in a setting of controlled chaos.

Hampered by the pandemic and the ever-changing economy, The Original Beef of Chicagoland sandwich shop is “dying on the pass”, as the kitchen might say. Following the passing of his brother, Carmy (Jeremy Allen White, Shameless) leaves one of the best eateries in the world to save the family business. His non-biological cousin Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Girls) is too stuck in the old ways to see he’s bleeding the shop dry. Under his authority, the rest of the staff is highly resistant to change. No matter the challenge, new sous chef Sydney (Ayo Edebiri, Big Mouth) is ready to hit it head on and aid in the revolution of The Original Beef.

Anyone who has worked in food service knows the struggles, the people, and the stress associated with this environment, and creator Christopher Storer (Ramy) is dead on with his depiction. He opens a window to the life of these line cooks with radical accuracy. At times, it’s easy to forget this is a scripted series. The entirety of the cast is loveable and praise-worthy. Each character is given a graceful period of time to develop, grow, and have an incredibly realistic constructed arc.

Jeremy Allen White takes the character of Carmy and makes it his own, distinguishing himself apart from similar characters he’s played in the past. Carmy has his own hurdles, some he leaps with grace, and others he plunges in head first. He is always trying to keep up this facade that he has it all together, but the high stress environment often shatters that armor. He’ll blow up and scream in the chef’s faces, but it’s because he cares. Through witnessing that heart and honesty, the other cooks become more perceptive to Carmy implementing more professional techniques of cuisine and management.

Richie, however, is such an unlikable character. He’s delusional and constantly making childish decisions, treating the restaurant as more of a hang out than a business. Ebon Moss-Bachrach delivers as this unpleasant grease ball, at times going out of his way to be as disrespectful as possible, however it’s impossible to despise him. Ebon brings this charm to the role that makes the audience want to root for Richie. His redeeming arc is slight, but there’s a glimmer of hope for him down the line. The true heart of the show lies within Sydney. Little is known about her, but the audience understands and feels comfortable with her almost immediately. It’s an astonishing achievement for Edebiri, to come from the world of stand up comedy, fully obliterate expectations, and access such heart and emotion. She fully realizes Sydney’s passion and dedication to cooking.

The camera work is stunning beyond words. The way it displays the food is delicate yet euphoric. Shot in one-take, episode 7 is a standout of the series. It's phenomenal how the camera glides through the scenes, resembling another similarly themed film from last year, Boiling Point, which follows a chef and his staff through a chaotic night of service (you can read my review on Boiling Point here). Cinematographer Andrew Wehde (Eighth Grade, Night Sky) masters the complexities and is nothing short of genius. His ability to capture the intimacy and intensity of the story adds layers of understanding.

The Bear is a feast of creative genius, with a mix of brotherhood and internal conflict, served up with some really incredible looking food. Behind all the chaos is a real feel–good show. The series is intense and highly stressful, but easy to watch and binge-worthy. It’s only eight episodes, about thirty minutes each, so a quick and easy watch that’ll leave you begging for more. The show has been picked up for a second season, so fans can expect more to look forward to. The Bear is an understated masterpiece that is not to be missed, but to be savored and cherished.

EPISODIC REVIEW: "The Bear" Is On the Line and Ready To Serve