A horror-comedy so chaotic it almost defies description has just landed on Netflix – and fans are calling it “perfect.”
Cocaine Bear, the 2023 cult hit directed by Elizabeth Banks, is now streaming in the UK, bringing with it a blood-soaked blend of absurdity and surprisingly sharp storytelling.
Inspired by the real 1985 story of a black bear that ingested millions of dollars’ worth of cocaine dropped in a Georgia forest, the film takes that bizarre true event and runs with it – fast, loud, and with limbs flying.
“The movie doesn’t break its promises,” one viewer posted on Rotten Tomatoes. “You get enough dead idiots to feel satisfied in terms of splatter, and a good couple of laughs along the way – including the bonkers ICU chase sequence.”
Released in cinemas in 2023 and produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (The Lego Movie, 21 Jump Street), Cocaine Bear quickly gained viral status for its unapologetically wild premise. But what could have been a throwaway joke ends up being a surprisingly watchable, almost coherent thrill ride.
“Cocaine Bear embraces its ‘dumb’ premise with gleeful abandon,” wrote one reviewer. “While the pacing is unconventional, the characters, for the most part, behave logically within the film’s chaotic world.”
The cast includes the late Ray Liotta in one of his final performances, alongside Keri Russell, Alden Ehrenreich, O’Shea Jackson Jr., and newcomer Christian Convery, who plays a child that, at one point, accidentally dabbles in the drug.
“It was so funny when the kids tried doing cocaine,” one fan joked, calling the film “unserious in the best way.”
The comedy doesn’t just come from the script – Banks leans into physical gags and gore with a flair that balances genuine horror with absurd humour. The now-infamous ambulance scene, often referred to as the ICU chase, has been repeatedly singled out as a highlight by fans.
Running just over 90 minutes, the film doesn’t waste time on exposition. Instead, it offers exactly what the title promises: a bear, high on cocaine, causing mayhem — and a group of equally unhinged characters trying (and mostly failing) to survive.
Cocaine Bear is now available to stream on Netflix UK.