it's a great movie, I actually prefer it to the book. I highly doubt that the director couldn't distinguish between real and disguised bears so you probably have to give the movie a chance to see how it tells its story.

theres 2 bears ;] hahastate o maine (earl) and another one wen the go to vienna

Ha-ha! You are so right ... they are going to Vienna now (in my reading) and I can see where it's going ... I should not have commented before finishing the book or seeing the film! Thank you, taqu! I can see Jodi Foster as Franny. Funny, my cousin was called John-O.

State o' Maine is different from Susie (the girl bear you see in the trailer). John Irving actually said that the director of the film might have been TOO faithful to the book.Watch the movie before making assumptions. It's really good.

I'm a third of the way through the book; didn't know there was a film. This looks ALL WRONG. How the hell can a woman be a bear? State o' Maine is a REAL BEAR. Sigh. Bummer. I'll just keep reading this incredible book. To what degree did John Irving involve himself? I'll have to look that up. Gosh. Looks so wrong.

That's a joke, right?

put up the full film please i haven't seen it all, but it looks cool :)

Are you kidding me? This was movie was brilliant. It tries so hard to be artsy and fails at every step, the bombing plots, the sudden blindness, catching the gay, the bear and the midgets make this film awesome.

it sucks!

It came out back in 1984

when is this movie coming out?