Bubble Boy (2001)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Blair Hayes

Writers (WGA):

Cinco Paul (written by) &
Ken Daurio (written by)

Release Date:

24 August 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

A journey of 2,755.8 miles begins with a single bounce.

Plot:

"Bubble Boy" is a comedy about a young man who was born without an immune system and has lived his life within a plastic bubble in his bedroom...

Plot Keywords:

Niagara Falls | Plastic Bubble | Wedding | Bus | Midget

Cast

Jake Gyllenhaal	...	Jimmy Livingston
Swoosie Kurtz	...	Mrs. Livingston
Marley Shelton	...	Chloe
Danny Trejo	...	Slim
John Carroll Lynch	...	Mr. Livingston
Verne Troyer	...	Dr. Phreak
Dave Sheridan	...	Mark
Brian George	...	Pushpop
Patrick Cranshaw	...	Pappy / Pippy
Stephen Spinella	...	Chicken Man
Ever Carradine	...	Lisa, Mark's Sister
Geoffrey Arend	...	Flipper Boy
Beetlejuice	...	Li'l Zip
Matthew McGrory	...	Human Sasquatch
Bonnie Morgan	...	Rubber Woman
Jason Sklar	...	Shlomo
Randy Sklar	...	Dawn
Ping Wu	...	Emcee
Zach Galifianakis	...	Bus Stop Man
Boti Bliss	...	Cashier (as Boti Ann Bliss)
Pablo Schreiber	...	Todd
Brian Gattas	...	Todd
Cinco Paul	...	Todd
Ken Daurio	...	Todd
Malik Toure	...	Todd
Leo Fitzpatrick	...	Todd
J.P. Coe	...	Todd
R.J. Durell	...	Todd
Brian Friedman	...	Todd
Arden Myrin	...	Lorraine
Merle Kennedy	...	Lorraine
Shulie Cowen	...	Lorraine
Alicia Gilley	...	Lorraine
Mandy Moore	...	Lorraine
Mitch Holleman	...	Jimmy, 4 Years Old
Alex Black	...	Jimmy, 8 Years Old
Tony Black	...	Jimmy, 10 Years Old
Robert Bailey Jr.	...	Neighborhood Boy
Oliver Kindred	...	Neighborhood Boy (as Oliver A. Kindred)
Brandon de Paul	...	Neighborhood Boy (as Brandon dePaul)
Steve Van Wormer	...	Mark's Friend
E.J. Callahan	...	Perris Townie
Charlie Dell	...	Perris Townie
Michael Loprete	...	Perris Townie
Charles Noland	...	Perris Townie
Emily Stewart	...	Perris Townie
Pattie Tierce	...	Perris Townie
Gary Bullock	...	Perris Sheriff
Susan Hawk	...	Perris Waitress
Steven Anthony Lawrence	...	Ice Cream Boy (as Steven Lawrence)
Raja Fenske	...	Indian Boy
Cleo King	...	Minister
Robert LaSardo	...	Skinny Biker
Jorge Cottini	...	Big Biker
Melinda McCallum	...	Red Hot (as Madajah McCullum O'Hearn)
Stacy Keibler	...	Working Girl
Fabio	...	Gil
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cyia Batten	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Bianca Butthole	...	Member of 'Betty Blowtorch' (uncredited)
Carina Dawn	...	Cult Member (uncredited)
Rod DeOcera	...	(uncredited)
Katie Lohmann	...	Cult Member (uncredited)
Hayley C. Rosales	...	Girl in Bubble (uncredited)
Michael A. Tessiero	...	Fan #2 Leather Pants (uncredited)
Cal Thomas	...	Cult Member (uncredited)
Jenna Z. Wilson	...	Cult Member (uncredited)

Directed by
Blair Hayes

Writing credits (WGA)
Cinco Paul		(written by) &
Ken Daurio		(written by)

Produced by
Beau Flynn	....	producer
Eric McLeod	....	executive producer

Original Music by
John Ottman

Cinematography by
Jerzy Zielinski

Film Editing by
Pamela Martin

Casting by
John Papsidera

Production Design by
Barry Robison

Art Direction by
Christa Munro
Troy Sizemore

Set Decoration by
Garrett Lewis

Costume Design by
Christopher Lawrence

Makeup Department
Barney Burman	....	makeup artist
Amy L. Disarro	....	makeup artist
Kim M. Ferry	....	assistant hair stylist
Voni Hinkle	....	hair department head
Melanie Hughes	....	makeup department head
Steve Koch	....	prosthetic designer and sculptor: Amalgamated Dynamics Inc.
Barry R. Koper	....	special effects makeup department head
Shari Perry	....	key hair stylist
Gigi Williams	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Katherine E. Beyda	....	unit production manager
Brad Goodman	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Amundson	....	first assistant director
Brian Bettwy	....	second assistant director
Nicole Burke	....	additional second assistant director
Jack Gill	....	second unit director
Aaron Penn	....	second second assistant director
Frederic Roth	....	first assistant director: second unit (as Fredric Roth)

Art Department
Cliff Carothers	....	foreman construction
Peter Davidson	....	set designer
Doug DuRose	....	assistant property master
Heather Elwell	....	assistant art department coordinator
Patricio M. Farrell	....	art department researcher
Gary Isbell	....	lead man
Eugene McCarthy	....	property master
Dutch Merrick	....	additional set dresser
Martin Roy Mervel	....	set designer (as Martin Mervel)
Eileen A. O'Donnell	....	art department coordinator
Michael O'Donnell	....	set dresser
Jeff Ozimek	....	set designer
James Pyburn	....	construction coordinator
Amy Reynolds	....	art department coordinator
Michael Sarley	....	storyboard artist
Jason Sweers	....	graphic designer
Beck Taylor	....	set designer
Douglas Womack	....	construction coordinator
Kris Nagle	....	welder foreman (uncredited)
Steven C. Voll	....	general foreman: re-shoot (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gregg Barbanell	....	foley artist
Gary Boatner	....	additional utility sound
Richard Burnette	....	mix facility coordinator
Robert Carr	....	sound recordist
Paul Curtis	....	sound editor
Andrew DeCristofaro	....	supervising sound editor
David Esparza	....	sound editor
Marshall Garlington	....	sound re-recording mixer
Matt Hedges	....	assistant sound editor
Shawn Kennelly	....	foley mixer
Shawn Kennelly	....	sound mixer
Steve Mann	....	sound editor
Joe Michalski	....	sound utility
Vince Nicastro	....	foley artist
Michael Orlowski	....	adr recordist
Andy Peach	....	sound recordist
Stephen P. Robinson	....	sound effects editor
Joan Rowe	....	foley artist
Martin Schloemer	....	sound recordist
Dan Scolnik	....	foley cue
Dan Scolnik	....	foley editor
Paul Silver	....	additional sound editor
Jonathan Sola	....	sound effects editor
John C. Stuver	....	dialogue editor
Ken Teaney	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Thornton	....	production sound mixer
Jonathan Wareham	....	sound editor
Bernard Weiser	....	sound effects editor
Jeffrey R. Whitcher	....	supervising sound editor
Scott Reed	....	head sound manager (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John S. Baker	....	special effects coordinator
Marc Banich	....	special effects supervisor
Skip Burrows	....	special effects
Anthony Francisco	....	concept designer
Alec Gillis	....	special character effects
Philip Henderson	....	rain effects
Sean Kennedy	....	suit fabricator
Scott MacLachlan	....	special effects
Thomas Rasada	....	special effects technician
Keith Suzuki	....	special effects technician
Tim Walkey	....	special effects foreman
Tom Woodruff Jr.	....	special character effects
Don Lanning	....	special character effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
David Booth	....	film scanning and recording
Marc Canas	....	scanning/recording
Rachel Fondiller	....	visual effects producer
Kyle J. Healey	....	previs supervisor/artist: TSL
John Huikku	....	digital compositor: Disney's The Secret Lab
John LeGrande	....	technical support
Serge Riou	....	visual effects coordinator: The Secret Lab
Dean Wright	....	visual effects executive producer

Stunts
Lesley Aletter	....	utility stunts
Nick Brett	....	utility stunts
Charlie Brewer	....	stunts
Troy Brown	....	stunts
Michael Cassidy	....	stunts
Félix Castro	....	stunts
Laura Lee Connery	....	stunts
Sophia Crawford	....	utility stunts
Jeffrey J. Dashnaw	....	stunts (as Jeff Dashraw)
Jared S. Eddo	....	stunts (as Jared Eddo)
Kurtis Epper	....	stunts
Richard Epper	....	stunts
Christian J. Fletcher	....	stunt double
Andy Gill	....	driving stunts
Austin Gill	....	stunt performer
Jack Gill	....	stunt coordinator
Anita Hart	....	stunts
Randall Huber	....	stunt double: Jake Gyllenhaal
Cinda-Lin James	....	stunt double
Cinda-Lin James	....	stunts (as Cinda James)
Tim Jensen	....	stunts
Steve Kelso	....	stunts
Shawn Lane	....	stunt double: Geoffrey Arend
Janie Liszewski	....	stunts
Mike Massa	....	utility stunts
Faith Minton	....	stunts
Chris O'Hara	....	stunt double: Jake Gyllenhall
Chris Palermo	....	stunts
Nicole Randall	....	stunts
Erik Rondell	....	stunts
Katie Rowe	....	stunts
Anthony G. Schmidt	....	stunt driver
Kevin Scott	....	stunts
Craig Shugart	....	stunts (as Craig Shuggart)
Spike Silver	....	stunts
Mike Washlake	....	stunts (as Michael J. Washlake)
Danny Wynands	....	stunts
Craig Appel	....	utility stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Alfred Ainsworth	....	video assist operator
Claudette Barius	....	additional still photographer
David Boyd	....	director of photography: second unit
Brad Boyer	....	grip
Richard Brooks Burton	....	gyrosphere camera operator
John S. Campbell	....	grip
Chris Friebus	....	camera loader
Reece Glover	....	grip: second unit
Rob J. Greenlea	....	grip
R. Dana Harlow	....	grip
Ulrike Lamster	....	second assistant camera
Philip Lee	....	director of photography: second unit
John Linares	....	best boy electric
Victor Macias	....	rigging grip
Victor Major	....	rigging gaffer
Jason Newton	....	grip
Steve Parrington	....	video assist
Lowell Peterson	....	director of photography: second unit
John T. Pouncey	....	camera loader: re-shoots
Brian H. Reynolds	....	key grip
Robert Snyder	....	lighting technician
Adam Southwick	....	electrician
Robert Stillman	....	rigging grip
Chuck Whelan	....	assistant camera
Jeff Andrus	....	grip (uncredited)
Joe Hill	....	rigging grip (uncredited)
Dana Kilgore	....	electrician (uncredited)
Vojislav Mikulic	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Animation Department
Paul Wood	....	animator

Casting Department
Sande Alessi	....	extras casting
Kristan Berona	....	extras casting
Jenny Harrison	....	casting assistant
Wendy O'Brien	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Shownee Smith	....	set costumer
Shownee Smith	....	specialty costume fabricator
Janet Stirner Ingram	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Cynthia Feyrer	....	negative cutter
Suzy Gilbert	....	first assistant editor
Dale E. Grahn	....	color timer
Ian Silverstein	....	second assistant editor
D.B. Thompson	....	first assistant editor
Don Thompson	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Amanda Goodpaster	....	music editor
John Houlihan	....	music supervisor
Patrick Houlihan	....	music coordinator
Damon Intrabartolo	....	conductor
Michael Martin Murphey	....	composer: song "Wild Fire"
Ted J. Reed	....	music coordinator
Paul Silver	....	music editor
Casey Stone	....	music scoring mixer
Booker White	....	music preparation
Scott Clausen	....	musician: keyboards (uncredited)
Deborah Lurie	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Gil Amaral	....	transportation captain
Robert E. Dingle	....	transportation co-captain
Troy Flynn	....	driver: production van
Philip Henderson	....	watertruck driver
Roger Wooge	....	transportation
Everett Everett	....	driver (uncredited)
Chris Haynes	....	production driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Alex Barnoya	....	medic
Raymond Bulinski	....	craft service
Cory Cate	....	production assistant
Rudy Coblentz Jr.	....	second assistant accountant
Jason Columbus	....	office production assistant
Christine Del Tufo	....	medic
Jim DeMarco	....	post-production accountant
Mark Dobkousky	....	production assistant
Marcel Donea	....	production assistant
Alissa Ferguson	....	assistant: Mr. Flynn
S.J. 'JoJo' Fieger	....	assistant production coordinator
Oscar J. Flores	....	office production assistant
Kirby C. Fortenberry	....	production assistant
Eric Glasser	....	second assistant: Mr. Flynn
Donna Glasser-Hancock	....	production accountant (as Donna Glasser)
Shannon Hamed	....	production coordinator
Thomas J. Healy IV	....	location scout
Jean Hodges	....	food stylist
Andy Jagerson	....	assistant projectionist
Adam Jensen	....	assistant: Mr. Hayes
Dino Juico	....	stand-in: Ping Wu
Matthew Katz-Frost	....	assistant: Mr. Gyllenhaal
Ryan Keating	....	stand-in: Jake Gyllenhaal
Mitch Kelleher	....	production assistant: second unit, additional photography
Tiffany Noel Kinder	....	key assistant location manager
Ahmed Kirdar	....	office production assistant: re-shoots
Ahmed Kirdar	....	production assistant: re-shoots
Margo Klewans	....	assistant: Mr. Flynn
Kym Langlie	....	unit publicist
Ernst W. Laurel	....	assistant accountant
Scott Allen Logan	....	location manager
Jennifer P. Luther	....	first assistant accountant
Marlene Marks	....	payroll accountant
Saveria T. Mazzola	....	production secretary
Randy McKenney	....	extras coordinator
David Mendoza	....	production assistant: re-shoot
Matt V. Messina	....	assistant location manager (as Matt Messina)
Chris Munday	....	key assistant location manager
Elion Olson	....	set production assistant
Beth Theriac	....	assistant: Eric Mcleod
Ken Twohy	....	key set production assistant
James P. Warren	....	head animal trainer
Tim Ballou	....	script clearance administrator (uncredited)
Robert Boas	....	technical supporter (uncredited)
Wes Campbell	....	laboratory technician (uncredited)
Melinda A. Grieger	....	custom shirt creator (uncredited)
John Francis Long	....	production assistant: re-shoots (uncredited)
Jack Venturo	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Aaron G. York	....	remote head technician (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Bandeira Entertainment
• Germ Free Productions
• Touchstone Pictures

Distributors

• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2002) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2002) (Finland) (VHS)
• Buena Vista International (Argentina)
• Buena Vista Pictures
• Gativideo (Argentina) (video)
• Nelonen (2007) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• Amalgamated Dynamics (bubble suit and special make-up)
• Secret Lab, The (TSL) (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Avon Studio Transport  transportation
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Rockbottom Rentals  cell phone rentals
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language and crude sexual humor.

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Brazil:14 | Malaysia:U | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Portugal:M/6 | Singapore:PG | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #38340)

Filming Locations:

La Verne, California, USA

Company:

Bandeira Entertainment

Trivia:

Slim's ill-fated chopper is based around a Triumph motorcycle

Goofs:

Continuity: When Jimmy is sunbathing with Chloe, Bubble Guinea is next to him, although Chloe gives him Bubble Guinea as a present in the very next scene.

Quotes:

Jimmy: Pappy told me about Poon
[bang]
Jimmy: , but he never said anything about Poonanny, Pippy.

Movie Connections:

References The Elephant Man (1980)

Soundtrack:

Voyager I

The wait for a decent summer movie is over!!!!!

A few months ago I had the opportunity to see Bubble Boy at one of those free screenings where they ask you to rate and analyze it (@ Thousand Oaks Janns Marketplace, CA). It was a rough cut at the time but it was enough to convince me now, that it could be one of the best movies of the summer. Let me explain. You see, at the beggining of the season I was hyped for the big stuff (AI, Jurrasic 3, Apes, Pearl Harbor,American Pie 2), so when I saw this little known movie called Bubble Boy, I really liked it and moved on, looking now for the real big name/budget films. A few months pass...

I've seen all the supposed good films (Except AP2) and my final conclusion is that Bubble Boy is better than all of them. It doesn't try to make a huge statement, it doesn't try to razzle/dazzle the audience, and it doesn't try to gross us out even more than recent and current comedies. It simply focuses on some very likeable characters who offer more than just name recognition and crude jokes. The characters all have heart, they all are positive role models, and they have great chemistry together. Is it possible that Hollywood has actually put out a decent story with decent values and developed characters??? YES they have, and Bubble Boy is it!

OK, so the plot is very basic. Boy is born w/o immunities, lives in bubble, falls in love with neighbor girl, journeys across the country to stop her marriage and declare his love for her. The story works and sets a perfect framework to learn with him about the real world as he influences the lives of some very diverse people. The ending is simply great. I was a litle worried how this was going to wrap up, but it did just fine.

Jake Gyllenhaal plays the Bubble Boy and plays him well. He's innocent, thoughtful, and humorously naive with the ways of the world. The girl he falls in love with is Marley Shelton, who is very different from the typical Hollywood bimbo. She can actually act, and she portrays the love of Jimmy's (the Bubble Boy) with more than just good looks.

I'm not going to undermine how hot she is, because she is, but there is so much more to her character. The mom played by (Swoosie Kurtz) also does a great job being the fanatical, protective mother. There are other great supporting characters that all add something to the Bubble Boy's journey. Two of my favorite characters were Pippy and Pappy, brothers who haven't spoken to each in over 86 years. They just add more subtle humor to all the physical comedy that is plentiful. That's what is truly great about this movie. It has the slapstick, the subtle witty humor, developed characters, and a touching finale. This is one well-rounded Bubble, and it deserves to be hit.