‘The Bubble’: Judd Apatow’s Bloated Pandemic Comedy Is Immune to Laughs

Sandra Miska

With regular testing and strict safety protocols in place, union film and TV sets are supposed to be some of the safest workplaces during the pandemic, at least that is what actors are being told. But if Judd Apatow’s latest comedy, “The Bubble,” is really art imitating life, as it was inspired by the pandemic production of the upcoming “Jurassic World Dominion,” than the toll film sets can take on mental health in the age of Covid-19 is very real. This film, which follows behind-the-scenes of a production of the latest film in a popular dinosaur adventure franchise, is meant to be Apatow’s “Tropic Thunder,” but it falls short.

Karen Gillan leads the ensemble cast as Carol Cobb, an actress returning for “Cliff Beasts 6” after sitting out “Cliff Beasts 5.” Following her starring role in an offensive stinker called “Jerusalem Rising,” her agent (Rob Delaney) pushes to return to the franchise that made her a star. She leaves her freeloading boyfriend, Josh (Chris Witaske), behind in Los Angeles to fly to London, where she and her co-stars quarantine for two weeks in a hotel before filming in a bubble. Studio executive Gavin (Peter Serafinowicz) oversees everything with the help of a team that includes two COVID safety officers, Gunther (Harry Trevaldwyn) and Bola (Samson Kayo), who pretty much make stuff up as they go along. 

The rest of the oversized cast includes Fred Armisen as Darren Eigan, the offbeat director who went from winning Sundance for a film he made on his phone to helming big budget popcorn movies. As is the usual case with Apatow’s films, it’s a family affair, and his wife Leslie Mann plays Lauren Van Chance, a self-absorbed actress who has to deal with being in the the bubble with her co-star and equally insufferable estranged husband, Dustin Mulray (David Duchovny). Iris Apatow plays Krystal Kris, a TikTok star who is cast in a desperate attempt by the studio to pander to younger viewers. Pedro Pascal and Keegan-Michael Key play Dieter Bravo and Sean Knox, two actor characters whom Apatow could have easily combined into one, a sex addict and a wanna be self-help guru. In her first major film since “Borat 2,” Oscar nominee Maria Bakalova plays Anika, a sweet hotel clerk who falls for Dieter but refuses to have cheap sex with him.

Apatow has fun satirizing Hollywood and how studios pour money into brainless blockbusters, and Kate McKinnon gives a mildly amusing performance as a studio head breathing down Gavin’s neck to finish “Cliff Beasts 6” after numerous mishaps while she travels the world during the pandemic. The film also pokes fun at the obvious flaws in the Covid-19 safety protocol we see implemented here, which is not too far off from what we see in real life. The production goes to great lengths to ensure everyone quarantines, only to have a P.A. get exposed after being sent out to grab Starbucks.

Sadly, “The Bubble” loses steam early on, and real laughs are few and far between. Covid-19 is pretty much forgotten after the first act, although we are supposed to believe that one overzealous security guard (Ross Lee) hired by the studio, a weaselly British man, has the power to hold the whole cast and crew hostage. Other problems with the film include a disjointed, unfocused script. It’s difficult to get invested in any of the characters, as there are so many of them and few redeeming qualities between them. After two hours, the bubble finally bursts, and those inside of it return to their lives without having experienced much personal growth. 

The Bubble” begins streaming April 1 on Netflix.