Judd Apatow's latest comedy film The Bubble follows a group of actors as they race against the clock to finish their latest movie, 'Cliff Beasts 6', whilst dealing with all the trials and problems that come alongside working in a COVID bubble.
Although the film hasn't been met with the most impressive critical reception, there are still plenty of hilarious lines in the movie that are sure to have audiences laughing at the sheer absurdity of the film's characters and story. Many of these lines are elevated even further by the cast's eccentric performances.
When Ronjon Shuts Down Anika's Excitement
"Yeah, you will soon learn to hate these people."
Early on in the film, Maria Bakalova's character Anika admits that she's excited to both meet and work with the actors that are coming to shoot Cliff Beasts 6, to which Ronjon replies that eventually, she will come to hate them all. It's a funny line at the moment, but it also embodies much of Apatow's commentary on Hollywood and celebrity culture.
The way that The Bubble treats its fictional celebrities is often amusing to watch, highlighting their ego-centric personalities and pathological needs to be admired. It shows that being a 'celebrity' is nothing like the general public romanticizes.
When Gavin Enforces His Control
"Call me and tell me what they said."
When Gunther asks Gavin what to do if one of the celebrities admits something personal to him, Gavin commands that he must be notified. It's a quick throwaway line that could easily be overlooked, but it's clearly commenting on the way that these actors have no personality outside of their celebrity image.
Gavin is one of the only characters in the film that truly embodies something other than a stereotype, with his personality actually shining through in several moments such as this one. While other characters often feel poorly developed, Gavin is one that audiences can rely on for some biting satire and wit.
When Dieter Admits He Doesn't Watch His Own Films
"You wipe, you flush, and you move on."
Pedro Pascal's Dieter is one of The Bubble's funniest characters, perhaps even one of the funniest characters in any of Judd Apatow's films, and his stance on celebrities watching their own film just proves it. By referring to the filmmaking process as wiping, flushing, and moving on, Dieter proves just how bland and unoriginal the studio blockbuster game can be.
It's a problem that many are faced with in today's cinematic climate - the only films people want to watch in theaters are the latest franchise blockbusters, which leaves studios just churning out reboot after reboot in order to appease fans. It's this toxic culture that Apatow is commenting on in his film.
When Sean Defends His New 'Lifestyle Brand'
"No, it's definitely not a cult. I mean, who defines what a cult is, right?"
Keegan Michael-Key's character Sean Knox represents a certain division of celebrity culture that use their platform and voice to promote ambiguous 'wellness brands' and 'lifestyle systems', with his being named 'Harmony Ignite'. The film takes plenty of jabs at how secretive and suspicious the whole thing seems, often referring to it as 'not a cult'.
Sean Knox may not go down as one of Keegan Michael-Key's all-time great roles, but he still has plenty of lines that are sure to have audiences laughing and amused throughout the film. Even if it's just because of how often he's mocked by his peers, his scenes are usually fun to watch.
When Paula Explains Why She's Away Skiing
"This was the only country that was open... not for normal people, but I'm with rich people."
Alongside being a pretty funny line, this delivery from Kate McKinnon's Paula has a lot to say about the hypocrisy of celebrities during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights the perceived divide between 'normal people' and 'rich people' which causes so much conflict and double standards.
McKinnon's Paula doesn't have too many scenes in the film, but every time she appears she acts as a successful vehicle for the film's biting commentary about Hollywood's hypocrisy. She views wealth and status as indicators of people's values, which is frustrating to watch but equally amusing.
When Gunther Establishes Distancing Rules
"Physical touch is, of course, off the table. So what I would recommend is making sweet eyes at each other."
Several of The Bubble's funniest jokes center around how difficult it is for these celebrities to commit to social distancing while inside the bubble. It once again shows how incapable these people are of following the most basic rules, which is just as entertaining to see as it is accurate to the real world.
Harry Trevaldwyn's performance as Gunther is one of the strongest in the film, and his demonstration of the aforementioned 'sweet eyes' is admittedly fun to watch. It demonstrates just how ridiculous the whole concept is, making light of this problem that still affects certain areas of society.
When Dustin Makes Changes To The Script
"But I'm also the guardian of the franchise. So I'm rewriting it."
David Duchovny's character Dustin is one of the most arrogant and egocentric of all the fictional actors in the film, so seeing him take hold of this movie production is often funny to watch in a chaotic kind of way. He sees himself as the most important part of the film, seemingly ignoring all the writers and producers that make it possible.
With this line, Apatow is blatantly taking a thinly-veiled jab at the concept of the 'Hollywood superstar', which audiences see more and more of as time goes on. There are certain actors who are seemingly cast in every big franchise blockbuster, and Apatow is clearly showing just how dangerous this can be to the integrity of movie-making.
When Darren Establishes Who The Film's Audience Is
"No, [our audience's intelligence] is down here. They're kids. That's our audience."
The Bubble might not be the most effective comedy out there, but there's no denying that there's plenty of truth behind all of its jokes. The director of 'Cliff Beasts 6' obviously knows how to make a film successful, and that's by not challenging the audience at all, and by developing a story that's intended only to please and entertain.
And that's the unfortunate reality of many big blockbusters today. In the grand scheme of things, very few people are going to theaters to be challenged or rewarded, but rather to switch their minds off for two hours. It's these astute observations that make The Bubble a good comedy movie on Netflix despite having an arguably bad script.
When Gunther Describes His COVID Symptoms
"I've had the virus three times, okay? The first time, I didn't even notice it. The second time, I was in a coma."
Trevaldwyn's dramatic delivery of "I was in a coma" is one of the more surprisingly funny moments in the film, despite only being a quick joke. It represents the careless fearmongering that people do, often by accident, when they spread rumors and experiences of the virus without any scientific evidence or proof.
It's deliveries like these that prove Trevaldwyn was perfectly cast for this role in Apatow's movie, which can also be said for many of the other actors. Although the characters might not be the most fleshed-out or developed, the actors all bring a certain amount of personality that elevates them beyond what's written on the page.
When Howie Describes His Needs For Quarantine
"I need weed immediately! Buy a drone, and attach my marijuana to the drone."
Guz Khan's Howie is one of the louder and more in-your-face characters in The Bubble, and he represents a certain celebrity stereotype pertaining to those who make their needs more than clear and show no respect to the crew on their films.
Although Howie isn't in too many scenes in the film, viewers can't help but feel frustrated and irritated towards his character whenever he appears - which is exactly the intention. His lines prove just how distanced from reality many celebrities are, and just how alien this can make them seem.