Matialth
Good concept, poorly executed.
FuzzyTagz
If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.
Bob
This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.
julian kennedy
The Boy in the Plastic Bubble: This is going to be a weird one. There is so much to unpack here. First of all, let me confess I watched the Rifftrax version of this film. It is a bit of a strange choice for Rifftrax. This, after all, is a drama writ large. It would be like a Rifftrax of Love Story or Terms of Endearment.The next thing to unpack is Seinfeld's Bubble Boy. He haunts this movie as it was such a wonderful parody of this film and circumstance. I spent the entire movie with the phrase "It's Moors" stuck in my head. The third unpacking is the cast of the film. You, of course, have John Travolta in short shorts. His real life love interest Diana Hyland who was 18 years his senior, divorcing her husband and unknown to both of them was about to get a tragic fatal disease that would not be out of place in the film itself. She, in a creepish aside, plays his mother in the film. I know I know it shouldn't matter. But like the actor playing Dexter marrying the actress playing his sister it illogically just seems…. well creepy. On the plus side, we have Robert Reed, Mr. Brady himself, as the father and a very young PJ Soles as one of the high school kids. Also on the plus side, this really isn't that bad a movie. Though based on a true story it really doesn't tie itself to the true life (and much more depressing) real life escapades. Travolta has a light touch and the film seems to do a nice job humanizing the issues at hand. In addition, if you are watching the Rifftrax version there are some pretty good riffs to keep you smiling through the slow bits. Definitely a fun time with Rifftrax and an interesting curiosity piece for those watching without.
marqymarqy
I last saw this film on TV around 1980 - I think it was shown to cash in on Travolta's success in Saturday Night Fever and Grease - to the best of my knowledge it hasn't been shown since. I was surprised and pleased to find it readily available to buy on DVD (and VHS),and although the picture quality is poor compared to modern standards it's worth every penny of the 1.77 GBP I paid for my copy. It looks like a video tape that's been copied three or four times - or could it be the film maker's use of humour ? - Robert Reed (the Brady Bunch; Rich Man Poor Man; Scruples) as Travolta's dad begins the film looking as though suffering from a severe case of sunburn; two thirds in John tells him he's looking pale and needs to get some sun. Reed returns from his holiday looking as if he's done a shift in a flour factory. Travolta plays a lad with no inbuilt immunities and has to live in the plastic bubble of the title. He is soon attracted to the pretty girl next door (Glynis O'Connor)and it is she who literally and figuratively brings him out of his shell. Travolta claims he doesn't smell even though he can't wash, and how lavatory hygiene is managed is not dealt with satisfactorily. This is an old fashioned feel good movie suitable for anyone who likes John Travolta or doesn't mind a large dose of sentimentality. Travolta covered Paul Williams' end theme song What Would They Say on his 1977 album - subsequently re-issued including two of his songs from Grease to cash in on his success. Recommended - but don't pay more than a few quid.
blackmarketkidneysless
They live next to a lake (Every guy who ever watched the movie remembers Gina in her bikini). It's a sailboat. You can see it turning around. Given the production value, it was probably someone who lived near the location, and they made no attempt to dissuade them, because it would look more natural.I agree with the assessment that notes if they didn't leave it open ended, you wouldn't remember it.Given our culture's obsession with gaining answers, and that the actors are both still alive, I'm sure someone has pitched a sequel to John and Glynnis about reprising their roles, with them deeply involved in their immunodeficiency research foundation. Or, if you prefer ironic plot twists, he's fine, and she now has HIV from a transfusion...
cutterccbaxter
I'm not sure it is possible to make a bad movie that has Robert Reed, Buzz Aldrin, and P.J. Soles in it. I think Boy In The Plastic Bubble proves that often only brilliant cinema can result from such sublime casting. The main story is that John Travolta can't handle germs, but there is a subplot in which Ralph Bellamy doesn't age at all in 18 years. Robert Reed shows the same versatility he displayed in "The Brady Bunch" by sporting two hair styles. Travolta shows his ability to pout is not to be underestimated and that it was a key ingredient in his acting arsenal that launched him into super stardom. I wish there were more characters named "Tod" in movies.
