If I was gay, there's no doubt I would be considered a "bear," Though my predilection for flannel died in the late '90s, I've long maintained the facial hair and bulk that would mark me as part of the LGBT sub-culture dedicated to large, hairy manly men (though admittedly whether I'm a "manly man" is certainly up for debate.) Though it's come to be positioned as something of a fetish, where guys have a taste for a cuddly teddy-bear of a man, the bear scene is far more than an physical thing, as it's wrapped in a big pile of politics and issues that's unique to any minority inside of a minority.

After starting out with an old silent film about literal bear hunters (appearances by ursine bears in popular culture (and old media in general) serve as a useful transition tool early on) and lots of talking-heads with bears and "chasers" (guys into bears), Bear Nation sets out to meet tons of guys who either identify as bears or who are attracted to bears, in a variety of cities, including a big Bear Pride event in Chicago (and a quick jaunt to Europe.) Though there are a lot of interesting topics to broach in this area, the key one is acceptance, which is important for the gay community, but even moreso for the bears, who struggle to find that peace with their own people. The most effective interviews get right to the heart of this concern.Through the many interviews, director Malcolm Ingram (Small Town Gay Bar) lays out the conflict between the self-explanatory "chub bears" and "muscle bears," the problems faced due to with society's view of fat people and the push-back against the mainstream stereotype of the "twink"-y, effeminate gay man. There are no overarching stories to the documentary, as we pop in and out of the bears' and chasers' lives, which keeps things moving quickly, but it also keeps the bear world at a bit of an arm's length. Only when we get to spend some time at the Bear Pride convention and see the socialization and fun they enjoy when they get the chance to get together, do we get to know the bears a bit better, putting a true human face on the scene.

Ingram does a nice job of getting people to share their lives and experiences in bear-dom on camera, but his technique could use a bit of work. His sit-down interviews are sometimes shot in an odd profile angle that is awkward for a talking-head, and there tends to be a bit too much consecutive talking, without taking a breath to show the setting or action (and then when he does let the camera roll, like on a bus ride through Chicago, it doesn't accomplish much of anything.) There's also a bit of a narrow focus, where some topics, like the fetishistic way some smaller guys exclusively go for the chub bears, the world of leather daddies (who can be seen here and there) or the question of why one should celebrate the results of an unhealthy lifestyle, barely get lip service. At just 75 minutes, there's certainly room to do some exploring.

Meanwhile, after spending most of the movie illustrating and insisting that the bear community is diverse, Ingram puts his pal (and the film's executive producer) Kevin Smith on camera to talk exclusively about how the bear world loves fat guys, namely him. While Smith is his usual entertaining self, his presence, as well as the extremely brief appearance of Tracey Morgan (obviously shot on the set of Cop Out), seem out of place, unlike that of Bob Mould (Husker Du) an actual gay man and bear, who offers some genuine insight along with his celebrity.