Bubble Boy

Bubble Boy has all the makings of a disposable comedy, something you'd expect to see on cable and maybe (what the hell) give it a shot. And that's how it gets ya. The film has an outsized heart, the story of an immuno-compromised kid that defies his station in life and goes on a quest for the girl of his dreams. Along the way, we're met with some of the funniest supporting characters the early aughts had to offer. I was ready to dismiss this movie at first glance but I'm relieved I didn't. It's a blast.

In a mother's (Swoose Kurtz) attempt to keep her little boy Jimmy (Jake Gyllenhaal), she convinces him that he needs to live in a bubble to protect him from germs, and "little girls". Well, it was inevitable that he should grow up. His favorite girl Chloe (Marley Shelton) is running off with another man and this will burst Jimmy's bubble.

Slapstick's moronic attempts at humor mask this hero's journey through space-time. He learns more about himself as he encounters many new religions and cultures. All encounters are intertwined with each other in some fashion and there are no loose ends. It fits the formula well with a timeline and a direction to a goal that not even the hero is aware of.

This is one of the most disagreed-about movies in the IMDB. Depending on how this movie struck you, you either love it or hate it. Or you think it's pretty good. I've never seen a jury so divided.

I think the key to this movie is watching it with low expectations. It's a silly movie. Don't look for high comedy. It's the kind of movie that makes you chuckle in spite of yourself.

And it has one of the truly memorable lines in filmdom. I'm referring to the kids chasing the Ice Cream and Curry truck.

I give this movie a 6 out of 10, which is about what the user ratings would average out to, if you threw out the people who loved it and hated it to the extreme.

I am definitely NOT the target audience for "Bubble Boy"...a film definitely aimed at the 16-21 year-old age bracket. I'm in my 50s and the reason I decided to see this was one thing...Jake Gyllenhaal. I've seen many of his films and really admire him as an actor and risk-taker. So, I decided to see the film even though I assumed I wouldn't like it. And, it turns out I liked it more than I thought. However, I should warn you...the film IS often offensive (especially when it comes to BROAD stereotypes of various religions) AND it's pretty dopey at times.

Gyllenhaal plays Jimmy, also known by many as 'Bubble Boy'. This is because he was born with no natural immunities and spent his entire life in a sealed environment....and he finally decides to construct a bubble-type device so he can leave. Why does he want to leave his home? Because he's in love with the girl next door....but she's going to Niagara Falls to marry some jerk. Along the way Bubble Boy meets lots of assorted oddball characters...most of which are pretty charming.

This film isn't much of a showcase for Gyllenhaal's talents, though he seemed to put his heart into the film and smiled throughout. But it's not among his better work, as it lacks depth and is just a dopey and occasionally offensive teen/young adult movie.

OK, I admit it. I was a child of the 80's. I distinctly remember sitting in elementary school and reading about the boy who lived in a bubble in my Weekly Reader. Naturally, when I saw the trailer for this movie, I asked myself, "Hey, whatever happened to that boy that lived in a bubble?" I knew I had to watch this to satisfy my curiosity. You've got the perfect character...an odd teenage boy that lives in a bubble. Write up an adventurous plot and throw in a cameo by Fabio and some M. C. Hammer on the soundtrack, and you've got yourself a movie that no Gen-X'er can resist.

I was fully expecting this film to be along the lines of "Wayne's World" or "A Night at the Roxbury." The characters are hilarious and exaggerated, but the non-existent plot drags on like a 10 minute skit that has gone 80 minutes too long. To my surprise, Bubble Boy has a fast-moving plot. OK, it is somewhat of an overused plot: Boy falls in love with girl; Girl gets engaged to someone else; Boy interrupts the wedding to get the girl back. You've watched enough movies like this to know how it is going to end, but, as always, it's the journey that Bubble Boy takes to get there that makes this movie interesting and redeeming. Just when you think Jimmy is finally on his way to Niagara Falls, and the movie is going to start dragging, BAM! The ice cream truck hits a cow! After mud wrestling two women while Japanese male spectators cheer him on, Jimmy is back on his way. Just when you think it can't get any more crazy, it does. That bubble plastic must be some tough stuff.

There is an important lesson can be learned from this movie. It is best expressed by Jimmy's dad who is really the only normal character, and only speaks once in the entire movie. He asks, "What if Neil Armstrong flew to the moon, but never set foot on it?" This movie is about taking chances...breaking out of our so-called bubbles, and experiencing life...not just sitting around watching it pass us by.

The dialogue and the jokes can be lame sometimes, but the humor really comes from the absurdity of the characters and the improbable situations the main character runs into. I have to give the writers an A+ for imagination. The movie is sanitized for younger viewers, but gives a wink and a nod to more mature viewers. This is a perfect modern day farce if you are looking for a light and uplifting comedy at the rental store.

FYI, in case you wondered, the original bubble boy, David, died at the age of 13 back in 1984 after an unsuccessful bone marrow transplant. Today, infants born without immunity to disease undergo the transplant procedure at a young age, so they don't have to live the rest of their lives in a bubble.