L'enfant bulle

This film will always be one of many in the long line of disease of the week movies that were, and still are, so prevalent. The only thing that differentiates this film from the others is the fact that it introduced John Travolta to the woman whom many have said was his greatest love, Diana Hyland. Its almost weird to think that Travolta would fall in love with the woman who played his mother. The other crazy thing is looking at him all of a sudden playing a sensitive, almost sympathetic character as opposed to the cool, but dumb, Vinnie Barbarino.

"The Boy in the Plastic Bubble" was a made for TV movie which gave John Travolta a chance to do something beyond his lunk-head character on "Welcome Back Kotter"...and just before he shot to super-stardom with "Saturday Night Fever". He plays a young man who was born without an immune system and the show details his difficulties dealing with having a plastic wall always between himself and the outside world. The problem becomes MUCH worse when he falls in love with the girl next door and he realizes he probably will never be able to touch her.

The story is based very broadly on a real case. Travolta is decent in the role and the film is a decent family movie, though the ending is a bit bizarre as it leaves you on such a cliffhanger. I liked it as lot as a kid--seen now, it just seems okay. Generally enjoyable and well written but the ending is a letdown...at least for me.

I thought this movie was very good. You must consider that it was made in 1976 and also made for TV. Therefore it is not going to look like the movies we are used to seeing. I feel that it told the story very well. The movie IS based on a true story. It is not a made-up story of Hollywood, like a lot of people think. The only thing I did not like about the movie was the fact that they didn't take the story to the end. The movie leaves you hanging with questions. I feel that it did a good job conveying the emotions that Todd had. The camera positions in some shots really helped the viewer understand Todd's life and struggle. I would recommend this movie to all especially those who like movies based on true stories.

I just read that there's a movie coming out this year (2001) called Bubble Boy. It sounds like a take off of The Boy in the Plastic Bubble with the exception that it's a comedy. This was one of those great chic flicks in 1976, where you could have a great emotional moment with the girls. I can't believe anyone would make this story into a comedy.

I caught this movie on HBO late one night recently, after hearing about it for years as "that John Travolta movie about the boy in the bubble."

It was bad. No, it was awful. As someone suggested earlier, it's a wonder that MST3K never got a hold of it. But a funny thing happened on the way - the movie went around the circle of quality until it got to bad. It then kept going, getting worse and worse, until it made its way full circle back to great. I'll admit - Citizen Kane this ain't, but it's great for a really, really, bad movie.

Just for laughs, imagine Travolta in his Vinnie Barbarino voice saying "Heyyy... I'm in a bubble heah..."

It's too bad he couldn't have stayed in that bubble, sparing us the agony of Battleship Earth and the Look Who's Talking series.