Judd Apatow’s The Bubble answers an interesting question about Hollywood. It’s not one of the many questions the movie tries—and fails—-to answer, though. It doesn’t have much to say about the ethics of making a movie during a pandemic. Nor does it offer much insight into the pressure companies put on their employees to turn out content no matter the physical and emotional toll it takes on them. And it definitely misses the mark about how the industry treats women, how producers debase the process seeking the approval of young viewers, or the way egotistical actors conduct themselves in a professional setting.
Even if the humor worked, though, this film would still have major issues. For one there are way too many characters. And almost very single person in the film (save for Peter Serafinowicz), even the smallest bit roles, is played for a laugh. It’s like Judd Apatow looked at iconic comedy team of Martin and Lewis and said, “How much funnier would it be if we added 40 more versions of Jerry Lewis?” The answer is “not funny.” Not funny at all.
There’s also the glaring problem that every single character and every single subplot is either underdeveloped or entirely abandoned. If someone told me they lost 40% of the script right before filming but decided, “It’s fine! Look at this cast! Look at our director! We’re good!” I’d believe them.
Maybe that faith would have worked if the cast had better parts or a more coherent script. Or if The Bubble had a consistent comedic tone or an actual point-of-view. There are some brief (very brief) flashes of what this film could have been. A couple of TikTok dances work (which itself is an indictment of a comedy). As does the big actor drug session teased in the trailer. And Fred Armisen seems to be the only one who knows what movie he should be in. But the only genuine laughs in the entire film come from the two smallest roles that get less than five minutes of screen time. The two actors in the mocap suits, the guys who stand in for the cliff beasts of the movie-within-a-movie, are hilarious during their brief brilliant moments.
They’re the only two who mine the film’s premise for actual comedy and real laughs. I wish the whole movie had been them commenting on the ongoing events.
Sometimes a film has everything it needs to be great. But for reasons that are hard to describe it doesn’t work. This is not one of those times. The Bubble‘s flaws are obvious and consistent. At its best it’s painfully unfunny and forgettable. At its worse it’s embarrassing. If, like me, you love almost every person involved in it, do them a favor and don’t watch it. That way you won’t have to ask yourself an interesting question: Can I forget that ever happened?
1 out of 5
The Bubble premieres on Netflix April 1, 2022.
Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.