Netflix recently released a new comedy movie about a cast of actors trying to work on a film during the height of the pandemic.The Bubblehas an incredible all-star cast, including Karen Gillan, Pedro Pascal, Keegan-Michael Key, and Leslie Mann, whose next project,The Power,is currently in post-production. There are even some fun cameos by actors Daisy Ridley and John Lithgow, along with plenty of others. The movie is a fun watch just for the cast alone, all of them have such a fantastic chemistry that really brings it all together whether the role is a lead, a side character, or a brief cameo.Even though the film is, at its core, a comedy, it still makes some interesting commentary on life in Hollywood as well as the need for art and connection. We all know that celebrities have glamorous lives and plenty of privilege, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have similar needs and feelings to the rest of us. Netflix’sThe Bubbleshows audiences how we are all connected through the struggle of the pandemic, and how art and kinship must prevail.
The film begins with the action movie actors going into quarantine on-site before they can start filming their new movieCliff Beasts 6. Most of what the audience sees is in Karen Gillan’s room, as she attempts to keep herself occupied with exercise and food and sobbing over rom-coms for two weeks. By the end of her quarantine period, she is so frayed by the time separated from both family and cast that she is unresponsive when a crew member comes to get her.The Bubbleshows the truth of the quarantine period we all remember so un-fondly by having even someone with so much privilege being affected by it.
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Plenty of artists and celebrities made and shared art that exploredthe feelings of loneliness in the pandemic, and most of them show just how universal loneliness is. Even in a world where we have access to technology that allows us to communicate worldwide, there is still a need for human interaction and connection. The cast and crew ofCliff Beastsare forbidden from too much touch and intimacy, with one of the handlers even suggesting people only attempt to “make sweet eyes” if they feel the need to. As the film goes on, the action movie actors go crazy enough during production that they break these rules and end up putting the film production as well as the team at risk. The movie makes it clear that these actors are so desperate for love and physical connection that the consequences don’t even seem to matter.
Need For Distraction
During the movie, the working conditions become more and more difficult for the actors ofCliff Beasts, and some of the team quits while others attempt to but are threatened by the production company. Over and over again, the production heads insist that the show must go on, saying, “people need this.” Their action movie is seen as a ray of hope, as it is stated to only be one of two films in production in this story. The fact that art is trying to stay strong is what the company is so determined to keep alive, both for their own sake as well as the sake of everyone else feeling hopeless in the pandemic.
When quarantine first began, we all remember thedifferent media we absorbedto stay sane.The Bubbleprovides a look at the other side of the coin, revealing the struggle of trying to make art in such difficult circumstances and how even the artists needed a project to give them hope.
The Real World
Cinema is often used as an escape from the world we live in, but the reality and cultures we know are still ingrained in film.The Bubblewas created by Judd Apatowas a uniquely comedic view of the current climate. It shows the realities of how people deal with the pandemic. Whether you’re like the talent agent trying to teach his twelve-year-old math or Kate McKinnon’s character who used her wealth to get early access to the vaccine – there is a wide range of truth in how people have handled COVID. It also shows the actuality of the need for arts and cinema, which often go underappreciated, and how in dark times people always turn to art.
WhileThe Bubblebears honesty at the root of its story, it still has plenty of chaos and comedic writing that keeps the whole story lighthearted. It’s this upbeat pace and style that keeps the entire film from being too grim. The audience can see the cast ofCliff Beastsdeal with the struggles of the production company, their desire for intimacy, and their frustration with conditions created by the pandemic and feel a sense of relatability while still feeling joy as they watch. This perfect blend of reality and comedy makes the movie work for audiences. The film fulfills what it preaches movies to be and provides viewers hope and comfort.
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This movie is the epitome of all that art should be. Art should be real and true while still being entertaining, the perfect blend of reality and fiction.The Bubbleteaches audiences about life and art in the time of a global pandemic while still being a wonderfully comedic piece of entertainment.
