The Bubble

The Bubble

movie

R, 2022, Comedy

WISE
12%

WISE Score

20

Avg. Tomatometer

Judd Apatow's pandemic comedy is a bloated, unfunny mess that even adults should skip—one of Netflix's biggest misfires.

IMDb4.7
RT Critics20%
MC34
Common Sense Media
Where to Watch
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Screenwise Verdict

Let's be blunt: The Bubble is one of Netflix's most spectacular failures. Judd Apatow's pandemic satire about actors stuck making a blockbuster during COVID had potential, but the execution is painfully unfunny, bloated, and tone-deaf.

The numbers tell the story: 20% from critics, 30% from audiences, 4.7/10 on IMDb, and a devastating 1.8/5 on Letterboxd. That last one is especially damning—Letterboxd users are film lovers who want to like things, and they hated this.

For families, it's a non-starter. Rated R for pervasive profanity, drug use montages, sexual content, and graphic violence, Common Sense Media pegs it at 17+. But even if you're 17 or 47, why would you waste two hours on this? The satire doesn't land, the characters are insufferable, and the whole thing feels like watching privileged people complain about being stuck in a luxury hotel.

Skip it. There are thousands of better options on Netflix, and life's too short for movies this bad.

Age Fit

This is rated R and appropriate only for ages 17+, but honestly, even adults should skip it. With near-universal critical panning and a 1.8/5 Letterboxd rating, it's not worth anyone's time regardless of age.

WISE Breakdown
Wholesome
15

Heavy drug use montage, sexual content, pervasive profanity (especially 'f--k'), drunkenness, and characters modeling self-destructive behavior throughout. The film depicts adults melting down in toxic, immature ways with no redemptive arc or positive modeling.

Imaginative
25

A movie-within-a-movie concept about pandemic filmmaking has some meta potential, but the execution is lazy and uninspired. The premise could have been clever satire, but reviews universally pan it as unfunny and derivative. Letterboxd's 1.8/5 rating suggests audiences found nothing creative or engaging here.

Safe
20

Rated R with heavy drug use, graphic bloody violence, sexual content, and language throughout. Common Sense Media rates it 17+. Multiple parent review sites flag it as inappropriate for minors. The drug montage and graphic violence make it unsafe for unexpected viewing by anyone under 17.

Enriching
10

Critics gave it 20% on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences 30%, IMDb 4.7/10, Metacritic 34/100. Plugged In says it 'tries—and mostly fails' at satire. Movieguide calls it 'abhorrent' with no redeeming value. There's no cognitive growth, skill-building, or meaningful takeaways—just a poorly-executed comedy that wastes its pandemic premise.

Parent Info
✓

Why It Might Be Great

  • If you're a completist who needs to see every Judd Apatow film, here's your chance to check this box
  • The meta concept of a disaster movie being made during a pandemic disaster could have been interesting in better hands
  • It exists on Netflix, so technically you're already paying for it
⚠

What to Watch For

  • This is absolutely not for kids—17+ only due to constant profanity, drug use montages, sexual content, and graphic violence
  • Even for adults, it's a slog: 20% critic score, 30% audience score, and a brutal 1.8/5 on Letterboxd
  • The 'comedy' about pandemic isolation feels tone-deaf and unfunny, especially if you lived through the actual pandemic
  • Over two hours of watching privileged actors complain—it's as tedious as it sounds

Conversation Starters

  • "Why do you think some comedies about recent events fall flat while others become classics?"
  • "What makes satire work? When does it just feel mean or lazy?"
  • "Have you ever been really excited for a movie that turned out to be terrible? How did that feel?"

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