Bear City 2: The Proposal

Following the appropriately successful 2010 film "BearCity", "BearCity 2: The Proposal" picks up where the first left off with more sexual escapades, campy bear humor, and a convincing romantic storyline that ties together to form a charming sequel.

"BearCity 2" starts by showing us the progression of the host of characters and the different advancements they have made both professionally and personally. Tyler and Roger have moved in together and seem to be happier than ever. Fred and Brent are working on being more adventurous within their relationship while maintaining satisfaction with each other. Michael and Carlos are professionally blossoming while feeling the strains of their respective careers' demands.

In the midst of all of this increased activity, an unexpected and unconvincing Roger decides to propose to Tyler. Against his better judgment, Tyler accepts the proposal and the whole gang is off to Provincetown to seal the deal during the famous annual summer Bear Week. From there, the group vacation goes on about exactly the way you would expect: Cheating scandals, shocking relationship revelations, a campy mother figure to instill some wisdom into the boys, and other exciting characters to throw a wrench into the main characters' lives.

This could all seem derivative, especially for the common gay movie archetype complete with horrible acting and corny dialogue. But the BearCity series thus far are almost overwhelmingly adorable with enough corniness to keep things light and on a romantic comedic level, but always supported by a real heart and comedic integrity. At the end of both movies in this series I found myself utterly charmed and excited to watch again.

Much of the heavy lifting is admittedly done by the capable cast, all of which bring a different type of look and personality to the film. Additionally, it is important to understand that this is a gay film that is not meant to be taken seriously in the vein of "Brokeback Mountain" or "Keep The Lights On," nor will it do much to properly document or reflect the real lives of bears. This film should be viewed as a lighthearted, romantic comedy that has a good handle on reality, but not much of an attachment to it.