There are oddball movies that are genuinely funny, leaning into eccentric premises. Bubble & Squeak attempts to be one of those movies, and, to be sure, it is occasionally funny, but there’s a sense of detachment from the narrative and what it’s trying to accomplish that puts me off. Written and directed by Evan Twohy, Bubble & Squeak was introduced as a film that would make us forget the world and its troubles, but the laughs promised were few and far between.
The film follows a recently married couple, Declan (Himesh Patel) and Dolores (Sarah Goldberg), who go on their honeymoon to a fictional European country. However, their relaxing vacation is abruptly halted when they’re pulled aside by a customs officer and accused of smuggling cabbages into the country, which were outlawed after a war. As they try to navigate this absurd situation, they’re forced to assess what they really want and how that affects their marriage and compatibility.
Despite a great cast, including Steven Yeun and Matt Berry, the film falls short. The script is shallow, and the plot becomes tedious and worn out. The film’s energy is high, but there’s not much else to recommend it. The movie’s concept and dialogue may sound good on paper, but it’s surprisingly shallow, and the promised laughs are few and far between. With a runtime of 95 minutes, Bubble & Squeak is a disappointing and unfunny film that fails to live up to its eccentric premise.
Pros and Cons:
* The film’s cast is great and game for the absurdity
* The film is too drawn out
* The film isn’t very funny
* The cabbage plot begins to grate and wear thin
