Bubble
2.5/4
Starring: Debbie Doebereiner, Dustin Ashley, Misty Wilkins
Rated R for Some Language
"Bubble" demands patience. For those who are looking for a fast-paced thriller or an amped up melodrama, this isn't for you. Not much happens in this movie, but it is well-acted (none of the actors who appear on screen are professionals) and has an astonishing sense of verisimilitude. But I don't know if there is enough substance to be worth watching (although it is only 73 minutes long).
Martha (Doeberiner) is a worker at a doll factory in a run down town. She gets up, goes to work, and comes home at the end of the day to care for her ailing father (Omar Cowan). She gives Kyle (Ashley), a co-worker, a ride to work and to his next job. Neither of their lives is going anywhere, despite their dreams of getting out. Conflict arises when a new worker named Rose (Wilkens) joins the factory and gets close to Kyle.
Steven Sodebergh eliminates any whiff of melodrama or sensationalism in this story. It's very realistic and low-key. There's a voyeuristic pleasure in watching a movie like this. We get to see life as it really is, not as Hollywood claims it is. "Junebug" and "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" had a similar feel, although not to this extent. Unfortunately, none of the characters are strong enough for a whole film. This might have worked better as a short.
There's nothing wrong with the performances. All the actors do their jobs well and there's no sense of artifice in any of their acting. Unfortunately, the script by Coleman Hough (although much of the dialogue was improvised), doesn't give us much to hang on to. It's tough to feel for any of them even with the sense that these are real people.
The release of "Bubble" was interesting. It was released on Video on Demand, DVD and in theaters at the same time. It was a risky marketing strategy, but with Steven Sodebergh's name at the helm it made fiscal sense, although it didn't make back its $1.6 million budget (according to Wikipedia).
There is worthwhile material here. I'm just not sure that it's worth the time unless you're really interested in this sort of thing.
Starring: Debbie Doebereiner, Dustin Ashley, Misty Wilkins
Rated R for Some Language
"Bubble" demands patience. For those who are looking for a fast-paced thriller or an amped up melodrama, this isn't for you. Not much happens in this movie, but it is well-acted (none of the actors who appear on screen are professionals) and has an astonishing sense of verisimilitude. But I don't know if there is enough substance to be worth watching (although it is only 73 minutes long).
Martha (Doeberiner) is a worker at a doll factory in a run down town. She gets up, goes to work, and comes home at the end of the day to care for her ailing father (Omar Cowan). She gives Kyle (Ashley), a co-worker, a ride to work and to his next job. Neither of their lives is going anywhere, despite their dreams of getting out. Conflict arises when a new worker named Rose (Wilkens) joins the factory and gets close to Kyle.
Steven Sodebergh eliminates any whiff of melodrama or sensationalism in this story. It's very realistic and low-key. There's a voyeuristic pleasure in watching a movie like this. We get to see life as it really is, not as Hollywood claims it is. "Junebug" and "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" had a similar feel, although not to this extent. Unfortunately, none of the characters are strong enough for a whole film. This might have worked better as a short.
There's nothing wrong with the performances. All the actors do their jobs well and there's no sense of artifice in any of their acting. Unfortunately, the script by Coleman Hough (although much of the dialogue was improvised), doesn't give us much to hang on to. It's tough to feel for any of them even with the sense that these are real people.
The release of "Bubble" was interesting. It was released on Video on Demand, DVD and in theaters at the same time. It was a risky marketing strategy, but with Steven Sodebergh's name at the helm it made fiscal sense, although it didn't make back its $1.6 million budget (according to Wikipedia).
There is worthwhile material here. I'm just not sure that it's worth the time unless you're really interested in this sort of thing.
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