Bubble Boy

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Bubble Boy

PG-13

Released Aug 24, 2001

1h 24m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

32%

Tomatometer

85 Reviews

48%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

A coming-of-age comedy follows the life of Jimmy Livingston (Jake Gyllenhaal), a young man born without immunities and raised in a manufactured world provided by his well-intentioned, but misguided mother (Swoosie Kurtz). But when he realizes that he's in love with Chloe (Marley Shelton), the girl next door, he has no choice but to build a mobile bubble suit, and set off across the country to Niagara Falls, to stop Chloe's wedding -- which is only seven days away -- in time to confess his love.

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Critics Consensus

Bubble Boy bounces along with lame, offensive jokes that are more tasteless than funny.

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Dan Via

Washington Post

Hayes shows a deft touch with both cartoony slapstick and character-based comedy and manages to create moments of real poignancy in between.

Jan 6, 2002

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Tim Cogshell

Boxoffice Magazine

The road trip aspect of Bubble Boy provides fodder for most of the jokes, which are requisitely crude and tactless and only occasionally amusing.

Sep 4, 2001

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Kirk Honeycutt

The Hollywood Reporter

Seldom has a more misguided movie escaped from a major studio than Touchstone's Bubble Boy.

Aug 31, 2001

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...somewhat erratic yet mostly entertaining...

Rated: 2.5/4

Aug 2, 2024

Full Review

Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

Sweet, charming, surprising, inspirational and funny. Bubble Boy is pure Disney gold.

Nov 7, 2019

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Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

A fun and oddly entertaining twist on the road trip film.

Apr 29, 2009

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Kaden D

Very entertaining, and I got many good laughs. My favorite characters have to be Pappy and Pippy.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/12/25

Full Review

Alexander S

Bubble Boy is a stupid, cute, fun film with young Jake Gyllanhal’s decent comedic dynamic that carries this film along with other known actors and their comedic moments. Nothing spectacular. Grading: C

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/06/25

Full Review

Benjamin J

This movie was definetely on crack

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/24/24

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Judyann V

First movie I ever saw with Jake, and still my favorite.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/15/24

Full Review

gandano

so dumb it's funny!!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/29/24

Full Review

Lumina E

Legendary movie. One for the books. 5 stars isn't enough.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/16/24

Full Review

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Blair Hayes

Director

Jake Gyllenhaal

Jimmy Livingston

Swoosie Kurtz

Mrs. Livingston

Marley Shelton

Chloe

Danny Trejo

Slim

John Carroll Lynch

Mr. Livingston

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Synopsis

A coming-of-age comedy follows the life of Jimmy Livingston (Jake Gyllenhaal), a young man born without immunities and raised in a manufactured world provided by his well-intentioned, but misguided mother (Swoosie Kurtz). But when he realizes that he's in love with Chloe (Marley Shelton), the girl next door, he has no choice but to build a mobile bubble suit, and set off across the country to Niagara Falls, to stop Chloe's wedding -- which is only seven days away -- in time to confess his love.

Director: Blair Hayes
Producer: Beau Flynn
Screenwriter: Cinco Paul, Ken Daurio
Distributor: Touchstone Pictures
Production Co: Germ Free Productions
Rating: PG-13 (Language|Crude Sexual Humor)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 24, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.0M
Runtime: 1h 24m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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