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List Price: $14.99 | | Label: Walt Disney Video
Salesrank: 18038
Released: January 15, 2002 |
| Our Price: $5.38 |
| Used Price: $2.28 |
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MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
From the producer of the outrageous AUSTIN POWERS: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME, BUBBLE BOY is the hilarious, laugh-out-loud comedy about a sheltered young man (Jake Gyllenhaal -- OCTOBER SKY) who breaks all the rules on a wild adventure to get the girl of his dreams! Though he's lived his entire life within the confines of a protective plastic bubble and under the ever-watchful eye of his overprotective mother (Swoosie Kurtz -- GET OVER IT), Jimmy Livingston (Gyllenhaal) never thought that he'd missed out on anything, until the girl next door (Marley Shelton -- VALENTINE, SUGAR & SPICE) ran off to get married in Niagara Falls. With the wedding only days away, Jimmy has no choice but to build a mobile "bubble suit" and set off across the country to stop the wedding and confess his love to her!
Description of Bubble Boy:
Innocuous, innocent, and somewhat idiotic, Disney's bubbleheaded road-movie comedy plays as a farcical remake of the 1976 cult TV-movie melodrama The Boy in the Plastic Bubble. Jake Gyllenhaal is the goodhearted innocent raised in a sort of human Habitrail of plastic rooms and rubber tunnels. To win back the girl of his dreams (Marley Shelton), he steps out of his indoor greenhouse and into a homemade Ziplock bubble suit. It's the usual story: naive innocent bounces down the highway like a beach ball with legs and wins over the wacky supporting cast of soft-hearted bikers, zombielike teenage cultists, and orphaned "freaks" through purity and pluck. The premise wears thin after a while, but Gyllenhaal keeps the film bounding along with goofy innocence and energetic eagerness. Swoosie Kurtz costars as his religious-zealot clinging mom. Watch for Fabio in an inspired cameo. --Sean Axmaker
Bubble Boy Reviews:
"You want five hundred dolla?!!!" 
2009-04-11 - This is one of those unusual silly comedies in which you laugh like it's laughing gas. I got a kick out of it straight through. It's politically incorrect, and that's what makes it so good. Alongside films like "Pineapple Express" and "South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut", this never gives in to sappy Disney-like innocence. The stereotypical Asian-Indian driver and the circus freaks are a couple of prime examples. And hey, it's COMEDY! We're suppose to laugh at this, not philosophize on it! Anyway, this is a good comedy that surprisingly features one of Jake Gyllenhaal's best performances (but don't expect any "Donnie Darko" drama anywhere here).
Great comedy 
2008-10-15 - I waited years to see "Bubble boy"and wish I didn't.Gyllenhaal and Kurtz are wonderfull.The movie has a nice ending,and what a fantastic adventure the bubble boy takes us across the country trying to stop the wedding of the love of his life.
Roundness wins!
2008-09-03 - The concept of an innocent boy in a bubble for his entire life to be free of germs is ingenious. The Travolta version is not the same and not symbolic in the way that this one is. Gyllenhaal had a fun role, and his "daringness" and luckiness to be able to accept roles like this early on have helped boost his name and career to his current well respected place in the biz.
The bubble itself was hard to make as it had to be customized by special companies who make masks and such, and they had never even encountered such a request before. The bubble was changed about 4-5 times at least throughout the movie. The bubble started off as about 65 pounds and was lowered to around 30 pounds after all the modifications. Gyllenhaal started acting with the 65 pounds on his back initially. He, as the Bubble Boy, Jimmy, wore a back pack which would help stimulate the size of the bubble. The bubble was deflated a bit to help him squeeze through small space.
Gyllenhaal is the star of the movie in acting and because he is the main character. His pure innocence, expressions, tone of voice like a child, and movement in the bubble is natural and on cue.
Jimmy's mom plays a seemingly flawless overly uptight Catholic mother, and Jimmy's dad is good as an overly laid back father. Their values mesh well to make their bubble boy's personality.
The humor is witty, but not over-the-top. Some implicit and more explicit sexual references around the bubble play a huge role. The idea of freaks versus normal people, and roundness symbolizing good and square shaped items representing not so good things play roles throughout the movie such as a round bubble and round room. I cannot think of comparisons, but this was listed as a main theme in one of the extras.
The timing of how Jimmy gets to Niagara Falls from Las Vegas does not seem to match up. With all the obstructions Jimmy encounters, there is probably no way he'd make it in 3 days, but he does end up flying later on, so that would cut on time a lot. Never the less, an underrated indie movie by a now well known actor.
A silly but funny movie
2008-01-01 - An outrageously silly movie, yet very funny and at times touching. It's a very unconventional and crazy cast of characters, and filled with adventure as a guy born without immunities sets out across the country in a plastic bubble to be with the girl he loves.
Perfectly paced farce!
2007-02-08 - This was just a great time, a farce with perfect timing and pitch--crazy characters all around doing expected and sometimes unexpected things. Brought all the parties together nicely at the end, and used well the opportunity to poke fun at just about everybody. Jakey's goofy grin, bedroom eyes and overall innocence... what a killer combo! The "$500!" back-and-forth sequences had me on the floor, and I don't know how they did that with a straight face.
