"Bubble Boy" is a comedy about a young man who was born without an immune system and has lived his life within a plastic bubble in his bedroom. When he finds out that the woman he has loved since childhood is about to be married at Niagara Falls, he builds a portable bubble suit and ventures into the outside world to win her affections. Written by
Plot Synopsis:
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On his way to save his love from marrying the wrong man, BB (Bubble Boy) encounters adventures very rare for a young man in a bubble whose system could not tolerate even one germ:
. A bus load of cult members who boot him out of their bus when he accuses them of being a cult.
. A motorcyclist ex boy friend of his mother (who is in hot pursuit) who gives him a ride.
. Joins a band of freaks on a train who he saves from a vicious dwarf.
. An East Indian ice cream vendor who gives him a ride until an unfortunate encounter with a cow.
. Mud wrestles scantily clad beauties in order to win $ 500.00 to pay Pappy, an older person, to take him to Niagra Falls in his jalopy.
BB gets a lift in an air plane (piloted by Pappy's brother, Pippy) and bails out over Niagra Falls, goes over the falls, and races to the church just in time to stop the marriage ceremony and marry his one true love after finding out his mother deceived him about his condition.
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dr_mookie (dr_mookie@hotmail.com) from Indiana, USA
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When I rented it, I was expecting to be disappointed. What a shock! An awesome film with a delightfully goofy plot. I did not find it offensive in any reagrd. In fact, I disagree with those who have called the film "stupid" or "dumb" or void of any real social commentary. In a nutshell, Almost everyone Jimmy encounters on his adventure is trapped in their own self imposed bubble. Truth is, we all find ways to insulate ourselves from the world, and impose "Bubbles" to convince ourselves of non-existent limitations that prevent us from being and doing what we want. The film's irony and beauty lies in the fact that while Jimmy's bubble is the most obvious, he is the free-est character in the film. He refuses to accept the limitations of his bubble, and will follow his heart no matter what the cost. How many of us can look in the mirror and say the same about ourselves? Well worth the cost of rental. One of the least recognized film jewels of the century so far.
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TelevisionJunkie from Texas
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It's obvious reading the comments here that the people who got this film completely got it and those who didn't did not understand it at all. I griped about how dumb this looked when it was released (the ad campaign was a joke) and never had any intention of seeing it. But Gylenhaal bowled me over in `The Good Girl,' so I decided I had to see his other films.
The film's certainly not for all tastes, but will appeal to people who've liked John Waters' films from the past decade. Yes, it's politically incorrect. But that's a big part of the fun! Most of the jokes are delivered with a dry sense of irony (case in point, the guy in the ticket booth). The entire cast gives hilarious performances from Swoosie Kurtz in an outrageous psycho-mother performance to `Working's Arden Myrin as head-Lorraine, the psycho cult-follower. A big part of the fun is that all of the characters ARE psycho and off-kilter. Much like the TV-series `The Oblongs,' the psychos in this film aren't scarred by their shortcomings, they revel in them... Which is why it isn't offensive unless you're politically correct and easily offended.
It feels like this movie should have been made 20 years ago. It has a real '80s feel to it, and the multiple `Land of the Lost' references (the spoof scene is hysterical) feel about 15 years out of place. There's no gross-out sexual humor, which is both refreshing and unusual in this post-`There's Something About Mary' age of films. It just has a twisted-wholesome 80s sense about it.
My one and only complaint is the running time. At 83 mins, it left me wanting more. Many of the scenes seem choppy, as if big parts of the scenes are missing (Bubble Boy's confrontation with Dr. Phreak for one). The entire opening sequence seems as if it should have gone on longer, and instead they compensated with voice-overs and musical overdubs to push it forward faster. It wouldn't bother me if there were a `deleted scenes' section on the DVD, but like most of Touchstone's DVD releases, there's little for extras.
All in all, a great little underrated film!
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tulsastorm from Tulsa, OK
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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.
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Jonathan Swift from United Kingdom
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I caught this movie by mistake after it was broadcast on BBC1 at midnight last night, I just had to go straight out and get the DVD. It only had a one star rating in my television magazine which I think is terrible. It was a highly entertaining film which myself at 26, my 24 year old girlfriend, my 53 year old mother and even my very young daughter highly enjoyed - A really entertaining, pleasant family movie and obviously VERY under-rated in the UK. It was just one laugh after another, a really uplifting, funny story with a not-too over the top ending (although it was a little predictable). I would, however, like to send my respect to the family & friends of Matthew McGrory, as he always played great characters in all of his movies - I was very shocked and upset to hear that he passed away earlier this year, he will be immortalised by all of the great roles that he entertained the world with.
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gatchaman from Portsmouth, England
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I've just discovered BUBBLE BOY and didn't realize what I'd been missing all these years. One of the few real laugh out loud films. It started off amusingly, then about a quarter of an hour into the film I was creased up on the floor, and stayed that way till the credits rolled. And as for all the critics who apparently complained about the film being cruel and tasteless - don't they understand the concept of humour. Comedy has always been about laughing at other peoples misfortune - whether it's Oliver Hardy accidentally hitting Stan Laurel around the head with a plank of wood, or Frasier Crane trying to hook up with the beautiful woman down the hall and striking out yet again - that's just how it works. However, anyone who has actually watched the film would surely also see that besides being riotously funny, it has a great message. The eponymous character is adventurous and heroic, and Jake Gyllenhaal plays the wide-eyed innocence and enthusiasm with such passion that you can't help but admire both the actor and the character as he makes his journey through life. The underlying message of the film is to not give up on your dreams. To live life to the full. It's about facing the world, and overcoming the obstacles to achieve true happiness. The fact that it has you crying with laughter whilst communicating that message is a bonus. It's now in my top ten of comedy and feel-good movies and I'd recommend this film to anyone.
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MLDinTN from TN
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well, NOT really. The mom is what made this movie very funny. Her character was great, especially with all the not so nice things she did and said, but then in the next sentence she would praise Jesus. I also got a kick out of all the weird characters bubble boy meets on his trip to Niagra Falls.
This movie was so much better than a lot of other comedies. I guess all the controversy over the fact this movie makes fun of people who really live in bubbles is what killed it at the theater. If I'd known this was actually worth watching, I would have seen it a lot sooner.
FINAL VERDICT: Remember this is a comedy. Don't take it so seriously. This movie is silly; it is not trying to be offensive. Just take it for what it is worth and you will laugh and have a good time. This is definitely worth the 90 minutes it takes to watch it.
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hcbfc from Los Angeles
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If you liked PEE WEE HERMAN'S BIG ADVENTURE, you'll like BUBBLE BOY. Some rude humor but overall a sweet film that was wrongfully maligned by the protests from parents with kids in actual bubbles. The movie wasn't about that - the bubble was obviously a symbol for overprotection. Jake Gyllenhaal is very funny as the wide-eyed innocent.
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Mike M. from San Franciso Bay Area
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Some say this movie was offensive, but if so, it was offensive to at least a dozen different demographics equally. This movie owes it to Jake Gyllenhaal. He was hilarious!!! I mean I can't believe he was able to suspend the energy level from the very beginning. You also have to give it up to Swoosie Kurtz. She played her character so well and not to take anything away from her, just looking at her face cracks me up. The funniest moment was when the Indian ice cream truck driver was shooing the big rig to get out of the way!!!HAHAHAHAHA....just thinking about it.
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FineLine15 from United States
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When watching movies late at night this one is a funny one to check out. It adds amusing scenes with naive love. Jimmy is a boy stuck in a bubble since childbirth and becomes friends with the girl next door. His mother who is over bearing calls the girl dirty names but allows their relationship because of his bubble. When the girl leaves the town to get married to the wrong guy Jimmy must find a way to get to Niagra Falls to stop the marriage.
This movie is a series of incidents in which Jimmy happens to bump into the right person at the right time to get to the next stage in his journey. With the culmination of all the parties getting to the wedding when he gets there, finding out he's (gasp) got *immunities* all along, and his exit with Pappy, Pippy, and Poonanny makes Bubble Boy a hilarious comedy that is great for you late nighters.
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Bob (bobcat_1899@yahoo.com) from Arizona
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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.
The tattoos on Danny Trejos chest "Debbie" and "Danielle" are real, and were crossed over for the movie.
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Jimmy and Chloe's favorite show is Land of the Lost (1974).
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Slim's ill-fated chopper is based around a Triumph motorcycle
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Early promotional material credited Michael Kalesniko as one of the writers.
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Despite the fact that this was filmed in Super 35, "Filmed in Panavision" is listed in the end credits.
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The Bright and Shiny cult have all had their genitalia removed, but as their introductory number begins on the bus, the "Todd" on the right (shaking a tambourine) has a visibly large package.
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After Jimmy's mud wrestle, he emerges very clean from the bar.
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When Jimmy is sunbathing with Chloe, Bubble Guinea is next to him, although Chloe gives him Bubble Guinea as a present in the very next scene.
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when Chloe first meet's Jimmy, she has her purse slung over one shoulder, but when a close-up is shown of her chest, her purse is slung over the other shoulder.
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When Jimmy's parents arrive in Las Vegas the cult bus can be seen arriving behind them. Then, after the casino sequence, the cult bus is seen arriving again.
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The skid wheels can be seen under the cult bus as it skids while chasing Bubble Boy's plane.
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In the opening sequence, the camera is reflected in the bubble of Jimmy's hermetically sealed bassinette.
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The lights are clearly visible many times, especially in the sequence when Jimmy rolls down the stairs.
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When Jimmy calls Mark from the payphone in the gas station, a crew member is reflected in the cabinet window behind Mark.
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In the scene where Bubble Boy is making his escape from home, he rolls down the stairs and bounces into the living room. In this shot you can clearly see another layer of the clear bubble material encasing/suspending him for protection during the stunt. In the very next shot, this layer is gone and the bubble moves freely around him.
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niagara falls|plastic bubble|wedding|hand on butt|cigarette smoking|dead cow|wedding dress|washing car|cross country trip|pledge of allegiance|cross country|erection|cult|las vegas nevada|religious cult|mutant|mud wrestling|midget|ice cream truck|dwarf|bus|electric guitar|torso cut in half|road movie|entrails|crude humor|chosen one|cow|title spoken by character|
AKAs Titles:
Argentina (video title) - Jimmy Burbuja
Brazil - Jimmy Bolha
Germany (TV title) - Bubble Boy - Leben hinter Plastik
Spain - El chico de la burbuja
Finland (video title) - Bubble Boy
Finland (TV title) - Bubble boy - uskomaton kuplakyyti
Greece (TV title) - O gennaios
Hungary - A bubor k src
Russia - Ÿа€енŒ из пƒз‹€
Release Dates:
Certifications:
Argentina:13 / Australia:M / Australia:PG (TV rating) / Brazil:14 / Iceland:L / Malaysia:U / Portugal:M/6 / Singapore:PG / Sweden:11 (DVD rating) / UK:12 / USA:PG-13 (certificate #38340)
Movie Details:
MOVIE
