Review: The Bubble

Judd Apatow’s latest film, ‘The Bubble’, looks at how Hollywood’s biggest stars have had to deal with the exact same Covid-related mental health challenges as the general population, all while trying to entertain us during our own isolation.

Needless to say, Apatow’s 7th Feature Film shows us celebrities are people, too, no matter how wealthy, talented, or famous.  And, that Apatow’s films can be just as funny, even when being released directly to Netflix, instead of in theaters.

The Plot – The Bubble

Carol’s Career Comeback

Carol Cobb, played by Avengers: Endgame’s Karen Gillan, returns to the fold with her tail tucked firmly between her legs. 

Having missed the fifth film in the highly successful ‘Cliff Beasts’ franchise, Carol needs a hit film to revitalize her career.  However, many of Carol’s co-stars aren’t exactly thrilled that she’s back.

Lauren Van Chance, played by Leslie Mann, is the first to confront and forgive Carol.  Sean Knox, played by Keegan-Michael Key, also forgives Carol as part of the religion/motivational system he started, called Harmony Ignite.
Lauren Van Chance’s ex-husband, Dustin Mulray, played by David Duchovny, also returns to the cast, ever the action movie star of the Cliff Beasts, and the struggling adoptive Father to their shared son.

New to the franchise is Dieter Bravo, played by Pedro Pascal, the true ‘actor’ of the group, jaded on Hollywood and the business side of the entertainment industry.  Also joining the project is the up-and-coming Director from the Film Festival circuit, Darren Eigen, played by Fred Armisen.

Trying to keep the wheels from falling off the wagon is Producer Gavin, played by Peter Serafinowicz, and a small, but dedicated group of hotel staff and movie crew.  Oscar Nominee Maria Bakalova plays hotel clerk and Dieter Bravo’s love interest, Anika.  Samson Kayo plays jack-of-all-trades and pseudo cast friend, Bola.  And, Harry Trevaldwyn, plays cast wrangler and Gavin’s spy, Gunther.

The set of Cliff Beasts 6 quickly gets bogged down by Pandemic protocols, and the production lags farther and farther behind.  The cast and crew manifest different responses to the anxiety and depression from the Pandemic isolation, and soon the huge Hollywood blockbuster starts to fall apart.

The Good – The Bubble

The Anxiety And The Depression

So much of society has had to deal with the effects of anxiety and depression because of the Pandemic, and Hollywood actors are no different.

Much like Avengers: Endgame showing the Avengers’ different responses to anxiety and depression; The Bubble shows us how these actors deal with all that stress.

Carol Cobb’s long distance relationship starts to fall apart due to her distance and isolation.  Dieter Bravo’s libido and nesting instincts go into overdrive as he pursues a romantic relationship with Anika.  Lauren and Dustin’s feelings come rushing back as they relive the best and worst parts of their marriage.

All of these fun subplots show how people’s responses to high stress situations may surface in many different ways, but in the end all of us are human, despite the differences in wealth and fame.

And, Director Judd Apatow is able to keep the tone light and fun; finding the ‘funny’ in an otherwise tense situation.  Apatow nails just the right tone to use humor to heel the mental and emotional wounds so many of us are going through.

Judd Apatow also balances the many storylines of a huge cast in just the right way.  Apatow keeps the film moving, while also giving just enough time to each subplot.

The Huge Cast – The Bubble

We get cameos from Daisy Ridley, John Cena, and Kate McKinnon that all have beginning, middle, and ends to story arcs in very little screen time.  Kate McKinnon as the studio head, busts the chops of Producer Gavin, then gets her own chops busted by Tom the Studio Chairman, and then Li the Executive Chairman.

The scenes take up very little screen time, and expand the film’s world without distracting from the main plot.  Daisy Ridley and John Cena’s story arcs also expand the story without distracting from the main story.

The Review – The Bubble

The Bubble rips the pain and anxiety of social distancing and isolation off the face of the Pandemic, by using just the right amount of humor and honesty to process our collective emotional grief while STILL going through the Covid-19 era.

Comedy USUALLY equals pain + time; but The Bubble gets right to the Pandemic jokes, without anyone having to yell, ‘Too Soon!’

The Bubble Instant Movie Review

On top of the Covid-Comedy, Apatow also pokes fun at Hollywood itself, using a movie within a movie and even his own real life family to tell the story.  Leslie Mann playing an actress married and working to a self important co-star, and Iris Apatow as a vapid Social Media Influencer are also nice touches.

Even if Covid-19 and the resulting social distancing safety precautions are sensitive subjects; The Bubble is handled just the right way to be able to laugh and process the pain, rather than risk being triggered into even more pain and anxiety.

I don’t know about you, but I could really use a little laugh therapy after the last couple of years.  The Bubble is just the right prescription for that therapy.

Check out The Bubble for a good laugh.  Well worth watching.  Apatow’s best comedy since ‘This Is 40’.

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