Judd Apatow was doing a bunch of press for a movie via Zoom and was going a bit nuts.
No doubt the film the director of well-regarded movies including “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and “Knocked Up” was talking up into a webcam was “The King of Staten Island,” starring Pete Davidson. Shot before the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Apatow-helmed effort debuted exclusively on digital platforms in June 2020, when going to the theater wasn’t exactly a thing.
That unusual experience, along with a desire to have something to do during the pandemic in England, where his wife, actress Leslie Mann, would be performing in a television series, led to “The Bubble,” a comedy debuting on Netflix this week.
Also inspired by the pandemic-related difficulties Apatow had heard were plaguing the shoot of the upcoming big-budget movie “Jurassic World Dominion,” “The Bubble” tells the fictional harrowing tale of the cast and crew members of a movie involving flying dinosaurs who are restricted to a bubble consisting of the set and a hotel.
It’s a really fun idea for a film, but it isn’t very well executed.
“The Bubble” starts out well enough, with various folks involved with the project arriving at the English set and experiencing the necessary nose-swabbing and 14-day quarantining mandated by the Hollywood studio and various absurdities that come with them.
For instance, when star Carol Cobb (Karen Gillan, “Jumanji: The Next Level”) — who’s returning to the “Cliff Beasts” franchise for “Cliff Beasts 6” after theoretically saying goodbye to the series following the fourth installment — is hugged by another just-arriving actor, Howie Frangopolous (Guz Khan, “Our Flag Means Death”), Howie is immediately pulled from her and dragged away by two people in hazmat suits.
“Just give it two weeks, and you’ll have all the hugs you need,” says the masked-and-socially distanced Gavin (Peter Serafinowicz, “Miracle Workers”), the movie’s lead producer.
A fortnight later, the actors — who also include franchise veterans Sean Knox (Keegan-Michael Key, “Schmigadoon!”), Dieter Bravo (Pedro Pascal, “The Mandalorian”), Lauren Van Chance (the aforementioned Leslie Mann, “This Is 40”) and her ex-husband, Dustin Mulray (David Duchovny, “The X-Files”) — are thrilled to leave quarantine and are excited to begin the shoot.
However, problem after problem befalls the production led by director Darren Eigan (Fred Armisen, “Saturday Night Live”), who’s new to the world of “Cliff Beasts.”
Everyone has his or her struggles, but perhaps no one more than Carol, who sees (via video chat) that the boyfriend she left behind in her home has quickly moved on to another woman and who is threatened by a new younger female cast member, TikTok star Kristal Kris (Iris Apatow, daughter of Apatow and Mann).
Written by Apatow and Pam Brady, “The Bubble” is at its best when it’s having a laugh about the ridiculousness of the ordeal, including Kate McKinnon’s studio executive Paula Zooming in from an exclusive ski resort to demand the $100 million production power through its challenges.
Too often, though, it feels like just another parody about the moviemaking business. For example, a handful of gags about filming action sequences via green screen have nothing remotely to do with a world-crippling virus and aren’t all that clever. Plus, the repeated skewering of silly action movies — Kristal, who’s known for her dancing videos, teaches a dinosaur to dance — falls pretty flat.
Still, there are a few laughs to be had throughout “The Bubble,” including Sean’s failed efforts to get folks to buy into his Harmony Ignite lifestyle brand, which he insists isn’t a religion or cult despite how it may sound. Plus, Dieter’s romance with odd hotel employee Annika (Maria Bakalova, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”) is strangely charming.
It’s disappointing, though, that the solid cast doesn’t generate more standout moments. There are several lifeless stretches in “The Bubble.”
And even stronger Apatow films tend to overstay their welcome, so it’s not all that surprising ”The Bubble” feels much longer than its running time of just over two hours.
One of Apatow’s strengths is digging into the humanity of his characters, but there just isn’t much of worth to be mined here. Ultimately, his idea probably would have been better off in the hands of a director more adept at zippy satire.
As it is, “The Bubble” feels like a movie made to keep him busy.
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‘THE BUBBLE’
2 stars (out of 4)
MPAA rating: R (for language throughout, sexual content, drug use and some violence_
Running time: 2:06
Where to watch: Premiered Friday on Netflix
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