The Country Bears (2002)

30% of critics liked it
(80 reviews)
38% of users liked it
(10,154 ratings)

This family musical enjoys the dubious distinction of being the first film ever based on a theme park attraction, the "Country Bears Jamboree" at Disneyworld. Beary Barrington (voice of Haley Joel Osment) is an adolescent bruin raised by a human family after he was found by a park ranger, abandoned… More This family musical enjoys the dubious distinction of being the first film ever based on a theme park attraction, the "Country Bears Jamboree" at Disneyworld. Beary Barrington (voice of Haley Joel Osment) is an adolescent bruin raised by a human family after he was found by a park ranger, abandoned in the forest. Curious about his biological roots, Beary travels to Tennessee to seek out his birth parents while attempting to locate the members of his favorite musical group -- a defunct country music act called the Country Bears -- along the way. Country Bear Hall, the famed venue where the band was launched, is facing imminent destruction at the hands of greedy banker Reed Thimple (Christopher Walken), but young Beary has a plan to save the hall by staging a reunion benefit concert. Beary's path takes him through a guitar duel, a vintage coffee house, and a car wash, as he's pursued by a pair of bumbling cops (Diedrich Bader and Daryl "Chill" Mitchell) trying to reunite him with his adoptive parents. Meanwhile, a panoply of musical legends including Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, and Queen Latifah appear Behind the Music-style to comment on the Country Bears' alleged artistic influence on their work. The Country Bears, the first in a pair of planned Disney projects based on the company's theme park rides (the second is slated to be based on "Pirates of the Caribbean"), co-stars Stephen Tobolowsky, Brad Garrett, Alex Rocco, and Stephen Root. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: G, 1 hr. 28 min.
Directed By: Peter Hastings
Written By: Mark Perez
Genres: Comedy, Kids & Family

In Theaters: Jul 26, 2002 Wide
On DVD: Dec 17, 2002
Studio: Buena Vista Pictures

Critic Reviews

Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
It's mildly amusing, but I certainly can't recommend it.
Michael Atkinson, Village Voice
This ingrown mutant is easily the most bizarre children's film made in this country since 1982's lab-rat apocalypse The Secret of NIMH.
Joe Leydon, Variety
Pic as a whole is a gently and genuinely amusing treat that should bring smiles to target auds.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
If you're looking to take your children to something harmless, that doesn't embarrass anyone, this light comedy ... is your next outing.
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
So awkward, so leaden, so virtually laugh-free that it's guaranteed to bring down the Happy Meals it's being marketed with.
Daphne Gordon, Toronto Star
It's just that it's so generally mediocre, bland and predictable that I found myself moaning every time I looked at my watch, which was often.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
A dumb story about a bear adopted by humans.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Click to read review
Aaron Hillis, Premiere Magazine
'When a studio re-creates The Blues Brothers in a world full of cohabitating bears and people, which target audience are they aiming for, exactly?'
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...the movie just might be worth a rental if only for the sight of watching Christopher Walken belt out a musical number using only his hand and his armpit.
John R. McEwen, Film Quips Online
It's like an all-star salute to Disney's cheesy commercialism.
Dan Fienberg, L.A. Weekly
Kids will probably enjoy the sight of huge, bumbling teddy bears... Parents will exit wondering why this piece of unnecessary cross-promotion wasn't released straight to video.
Anita Schmaltz, Metro Times (Detroit, MI)
'...both hokey and super-cool, and definitely not in a hurry, so sit back, relax and have a few laughs while the little ones get a fuzzy treat.'
Eric D. Snider, EricDSnider.com
Bearable. Barely.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Nicki M

For a kid's movie, this was actually decent. The bears are cute and the story is okay. One of the few kids films I have seen that hasn't made me want to pull my hair out just for something else to do!
Conner R

It was fun to see another Disney ride brought to life, but this was in no way a good movie. It was extremely corny and had an overused plot. It would've been better as an animated movie, because the Disneyland attraction is about singing bears.
Sophie B

i thought this was well good lol!

Cast

            Christopher Walken as Reed Thimple

            Stephen Tobolowsky as Norbert Barrington

            Daryl Mitchell as Officer Hamm

            M.C. Gainey as Roadie

            Diedrich Bader as Officer Cheets

            Alex Rocco as Rip Holland

            Meagen Fay as Mrs. Barrington

            Eli Marienthal as Dex Barrington

            Queen Latifah as Cha-Cha

            Krystal Marie Harris as Herself

            Don Henley as Himself

            Wyclef Jean as Himself

            Elton John as Himself

            Willie Nelson as Himself

            Bonnie Raitt as Herself

            Brian Setzer as Himself

            Don Was as Himself

            Xzibit as Xzibit

            Haley Joel Osment as Beary Barrington

            Candy Ford as Trixie St. Clair

            James Gammon as Big Al

            Brad Garrett as Fred Bedderhead

            Toby Huss as Tennessee O'Neal

            Kevin Michael Richardson as Henry Dixon Taylor

            Stephen Root as Zeb Zoober

            Charles S. Dutton
            
            Richard Kind
            
            John Hiatt
            
            Brian La Rosa
            
See full cast