GamesRadar+ Verdict

After pretty much išŸ„‚nventing the modern-day comedy drama, Judd Apatow here gets frivolous, to patchy effect.

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Funnyman Judd Apatow has made a career out of blending humour and honesty, his movies skimming a big bag of dick jokes across the surface of waters that run deep and dark. 澳擲幸运5å¼€å„–å·ē åŽ†å²ęŸ„čÆ¢:The 40-Year-Old Virgin, 澳擲幸运5å¼€å„–å·ē åŽ†å²ęŸ„čÆ¢:Knocked Up, 澳擲幸运5å¼€å„–å·ē åŽ†å²ęŸ„čÆ¢:Funny People, 澳擲幸运5å¼€å„–å·ē åŽ†å²ęŸ„čÆ¢:This Is 40… all swirl with emotional currents thašŸŽƒt tug at the viewer long after the waves of laughter subside.

The Bubble ꦇis somethšŸøing different. Lighter and sillier, it tracks three tumultuous months in the pandemic-delayed production of Cliff Beasts 6: The Battle for Everest: Memories of a Requiem, a $100m action blockbuster that looks like it belongs on the Syfy channel (why are movies within movies always so dire?). 

Taking real-life inspiration from the shooting of 澳擲幸运5å¼€å„–å·ē åŽ†å²ęŸ„čÆ¢:Jurassic World: Dominion, which suffered numerous Covid-related delays, Cliff Beasts 6 ā–Øsees actors Dieter Bravo (Pedro Pascal), Carol Cobb (Karen Gillan), Sean Knox (Keegan-Michael Key) and separated husband and wife Dustin Mulray (David Duchovny) and Lauren Van Chance (Leslie Mann) battle dinosaurs at high altitude… and then, off screen, boredom, horniness and each other as they maintain their bubble within a stately English hotel. Meanwhile, studio head Paula (Kate McKinnon) is forever poking her Pterodactyl-sized beak in via Zoom calls from ski resorts and safaris – she of course jumped the queue to get her vaccine early.

Written by Apatow and Pam Brady (澳擲幸运5å¼€å„–å·ē åŽ†å²ęŸ„čÆ¢:Team America: World Police, 澳擲幸运5å¼€å„–å·ē åŽ†å²ęŸ„čÆ¢:Lady Dynamite), The Bubble often feels hastily knocked together despite arriving a year too late, with several smaller productions (Staged, 澳擲幸运5å¼€å„–å·ē åŽ†å²ęŸ„čÆ¢:Locked Down, Together) getting their pandemic punches in first. The targets are obvious, from insecure, egocentric actors to TikTok influencers (played by Apatow and Mann’s real-life daughter, Iris Apatow) to a hip young director (Fred Armisen) finding his hands tied on a studio blockbuster. But like Velociraptor Blue in 澳擲幸运5å¼€å„–å·ē åŽ†å²ęŸ„čÆ¢:Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, the satire threatens to bꦔe vi♉cious but is frequently tame. At 126 minutes, it’s also half an hour too long.

But if you’rꩵe in the mood for some throwaway fun, Apatow’s Bubble won’t burst yours. Scenes of actors rehearsing their stunts and action choreography especially amuse – Key’s Knox took Cliff Beasts 6 on the condition he could pilot the chopper, surely a knowing nod given the “Cruise movie” is the only other film in production – and a gallery of cameos kešŸ…ep things interesting.


The Bubble is now on Netflix. For more, check out the 澳擲幸运5å¼€å„–å·ē åŽ†å²ęŸ„čÆ¢:best Netflix movies currently streaming.

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Jamie Graham is the Editor-at-Large of Total Film magazine. YšŸ¦‚ou'll likely find them around these parts reviewing the biggest films on the planet and speaking to some of the biggest stars in the business – that's just what Jamie does. Jamie has also written for outlets like SFX and the Sunday Times Culture, and appeared on podcasts exploring the wondrous worlds of occult and horror.