A film (with a stupid title) that far surpasses expectations: Infinitely Polar Bear

I wouldn't say Infinitely Polar Bear is a great movie - but for one thing its a thousand times better than its title, and it's a movie that does accomplish its modest goals and far surpasses the expectations for a small-cast indie drama (filmed in RI, BTW - though few of the settings are readily recognizable, which is actually a plus - gets a good sense of an urban neighborhood on the edge). This simply put is a story about a family of 4, inter-racial couple, the husband a charming guy (Mark Ruffalo) beset with bipolar disorder and the wife (Zoe Soldana) unable to support the children leaves for NYC to get a business degree but comes back on weekends to help with the kids (but pointedly not to resume sexual relations with husband). The older, preteen daughter narrates the story, presumably from an adult perspective - story set in 1978, and the period details are good but really it could just as well have been set in the present. What's particularly great about this film, by writer-director Maya Forbes,  is what she chose not to do: it's not about how cute and sweet and cuddly the dad is, about how mental illness makes him funny and quirky, a character, about a lovely inter-racial family overcoming obstacles to get along in a tough world. No - the film is completely, devastatingly honest: the husband is truly suffering, he is a terribly incompetent dad putting the children at times in great risk and all the time confusing and embarrassing them - if there's a flaw it's in how well the kids seem to adapt. The film hits a few easy targets - notably Ruffalo's wealthy family that remains cool and oblivious and refuses to offer significant support. Film contains some humor, some great sorrow, some touching moments, some deeply troubling moments - a lot, in a modest, straightforward film.