LGBTQ+ Pride 2025: Bear City 2 The Proposal

It is 2012 and has been about a year since “twink” Tyler (Joe Conti) and “muscle bear” Roger (Gerald McCullouch have become a couple, and Roger wants to take it to the next level.  With same-sex marriage having just become legal in New York, Roger proposes to Tyler.  Initially the answer was “no”, but after feeling pressure from friends and society, he changes his mind.  Meanwhile, Michael (Gregory Gunter) is opening a new stage play and his boyfriend Carlos (James Martinez) is opening a new bar, and both of their work schedules are causing friction in their relationship.  Fred (Brian Keane) is finally going to get the chance to make the documentary he has dreamed of, while husband Brent (Stephen Guarino) is not as excited about it.  Roger and Tyler decide to tie the knot during Bear Week in P-Town (Provincetown, Massachusetts), and the group including Tyler’s non-bear friend, Simon (Alex Di Dio), all head out for a week of debauchery culminating in the wedding.  But things don’t go as planned for anyone with old loves, jealousy and the fear of commitment creating tension between couples.  Amidst the scenic beaches, wild parties, and emotional turbulence, the group navigates love, commitment, jealousy, and friendship all while confronting the realities of monogamy, growing older, and the meaning of family in the LGBTQ+ community.

Bear City: The Proposal is a 2012 American LGBTQ+ bear community themed dramedy written and directed by Doug Langway and is a sequel to the 2010 film, Bear City. The film made its debut at the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival on July 20, 2012 with a general release on September 28 of that same year.  , Bear City 2 received warm support from fans and niche festivals, though it drew more tepid responses from mainstream critics. Metacritic scored it a 44/100 based on only 5 critic reviews.  The Village Voice described it as “funny, weepy, and hairy all the way to the barrel-chested and utterly predictable end” while Variety criticized its scripting and pacing, suggesting it sometimes felt like “a crowd-funded venture existing solely to pay back… the crowd”.

I found myself more involved with the characters in the sequel than I did with the original.  The storytelling feels smooth, and the movie has a good rhythm.  The acting is heartfelt and above what I would have expected for a sequel of a movie about gay bears.  There are also some surprising cameo and guest stars with the likes of Kevin Smith and Frank DeCaro playing themselves in walk on roles and Kathy Najimy, Susan Mosher and Richard Riehle playing Brent’s and Tyler’s parents, respectively.  The main cast does a good job and taking the audience through a wide range of emotions.  From subtle looks expressing jealousy to angry outbursts to love and happiness. It’s also interesting how the film highlights some of the clichés and divisions that exist within the gay community—particularly within the bear subculture. There’s a noticeable tension between muscle bears and heavier bears, revealing a kind of rivalry that feels all too familiar. Sadly, this reflects broader dynamics in the LGBTQ+ community, where instead of embracing our diversity, we sometimes struggle with internal divides. It’s a poignant reminder of how much more powerful we could be if we chose unity and mutual support over judgment.