It is scary that someone saw this and billed it as a dark comedy. I assume that was someone from a marketing department.*** SPOILERS AHEAD *** Since I don't see any reviews that touch on what I saw as the central point of the movie, I thought I should add a review for those who want to know what the point of this movie is. This movie is exploring the horror of infidelity through the use of metaphor. It sets up the viewer to compare two events: (1) the Big Ask (Andrew's wildly inappropriate request) and the adultery of his wife Hannah with his friend Owen and (2) the stealing of the neighbor's dog vs. the murder of the same dog by the crazy woman.In both comparisons, Andrews character is portrayed as doing something awful, selfish, and unconscionable. But then the comparison causes us to reflect on it in a new way. Hannah's infidelity is just like Andrew's Big Ask but without the class and honesty(!) (Notice that Hannah reveals her infidelity at a key moment which draws out the comparison with Andrew's Big Ask.) The terribleness of the Big Ask allows us to see how outrageous and unconscionable infidelity really is. At the beginning of the film, his friend asks Andrew if he understands how messed up it is to ask to have sex with his friends' wives. Andrew says he understands, but doesn't care. That is infidelity.I think the dog serves as a second metaphor for infidelity. He steals the neighbors dog and moves in with in it because he wanted the dog. The neighbors assumes the dog is dead when it doesn't come back. Later a crazy lady stabs the dog to death. The killing is viewed by everyone as much more horrific than stealing the dog. But to the neighbor, what is the difference? The dog was gone either way, assumed dead or actually dead. This is how families are left in the wake of infidelity, without their wife or husband, mother or father.The Big Ask invites us to consider the true infidelity. This is not a dark comedy and certainly not a product of "rape culture." If you are ready to soak it in and think on it, this movie has a lot to offer.

Despite the outrageous premise, this film offers a nuanced portrait of grief that is disarmingly realistic. Anyone who has suffered a major loss, or struggled with depression, knows that profound grief often begets profoundly twisted thoughts. For anyone who has had the lonely and terrifying experience of watching their relationships unwind as they struggle to cope with these emotions and return to normalcy, this film will strike a chord. That being said, this film is not as depressing as you might expect. It isn't often that a film explores such dark aspects of humanity without being a major downer, but this one really pulls it off. Because the movie is about grief and its effect on relationships, the characters' friendships are front and center. These friendships are genuine, layered, and heart-warming. One of the things I liked best about these friendships is that there is a noticeable--but not cliché or shallow--difference between the men's friendships and the women's friendships. It isn't often that a film so aptly dances back and forth between male friendships and female friendships without relying on silly or offensive stereotypes. But here is a writer who gets it. Loved this movie!!!

Heavyzine, I saw this film at the Seattle International Film Festival with an enthusiastic crowd of three hundred attendees. It is clear from your review that you haven't seen it all, and are instead using this forum to vent a very particular personal prejudice. Normally I wouldn't bother with a post like yours, they are legion on the internet, the product of disturbed, jealous, damaged people. But in this case you're attacking a really well thought, well made film. One that you would actually enjoy if you saw it. And people need to see it so we can have more like it, and so the producer and director and writer can be rewarded for their hard work. If you imagine there is a trace of misogyny in "The Big Ask." You should've been at SIFF. You could've seen the actors and actresses praise the film, and you would heard the audience go wild because we knew we'd all just discovered something really good. That's what film festivals are all about! Please, everybody reading this, support your local festivals! And Heavyzine, just go watch the damn thing. Okay? It's heartfelt, it's sensitive, it pretty sexy, and it's funny as hell. You'll like it. It's good.

Teddy Bears is a thoughtful film that takes you on an emotional ride that balances humor, sorrow, love and friendship perfectly.One reason this film works so well is because unlike so many other movies, there are no useless moments. There is no filler, no fluff. The moments are all needed to give a poignant story its well deserved voice. This is all thanks to the excellent story telling of the writer, Thomas Beatty, who also co-directed with Rebecca Fishman. In short, this is their baby and it is beautiful.The second reason is the cast. Gillian Jacobs, Zachary Knighton, David Krumholtz, Melanie Lynskey, Ahna O'Reilly and Jason Ritter make the main ensemble. They fit perfectly together. You don't doubt that they are old friends who care and love each other and would do just about anything to help one another. It also doesn't hurt that the supporting cast includes powerhouse Ned Beatty, Dale Dickey and French Stewart.There is only one drawback about this film. It needs to get wide distribution so I can see it again. This is one film that is well worth your time and it will be one that you will want to watch again and again. It also leaves you reflecting the "what if's" of your friends, family and loves, which in the end is what all great movies do.