It starts exciting enough: an American couple (Himesh Patel and Sarah Goldberg) are waiting anxiously at a boring customs office in an unnamed Slavic country. They have just arrived for their honeymoon – Declan (Patel), we know, wanted the couple to enjoy a holiday somewhere “outside the general roads” and financially, Delores (Goldberg) does not seem to have much features in the case – and are kept in official storage , which is believed to have already violated one of the most important laws for their destination by smuggling smuggling. The law in question is more than stupid (this seems to be the majority of gags at hand), but filmmaker Evan Twohy’s concept for His debut film “Bubble & Squeak” Is original enough to create lots of audience goodwill and patience, at least initially.
It’s about cabbage. Again: cabbage. And get ready to hear the word ‘cabbage’ countless times film95 minutes of driving time. Cabbage. Cabbage! Isn’t that fun? Although Declan cannot believe in the treatment they receive on this issue, first from a polite Steven Yeun as a customs official and later from his crazy boss (Matt Berry, who plays an unholy mix of Wes Anderson and Werner Herzog), it will soon be Obviously to the audience why they have been held by government champions. Taking care of one of the film’s truly inspired sight Gags, can’t be missed: Delore’s pants are absolutely Cracks With cabbage.
Unfortunately, the question will arise: even without fear of breaking the law, why the hell would anyone leave on their honeymoon with dozens of cabbage heads hidden in the pants? This question will never be answered, as Twohy tries to use Delore’s cabbage smuggling and Declans Kan-fix-va at all attitudes to highlight the obvious differences in their personalities. Can you ever really know anyThe movie seems to think, especially your spouse? But, flashed by a movie that is too sincere to be fun and too messy to say something with clarity, it is one of many thrown concepts that never get stuck and rarely evoke a laugh.
Declan, constantly practical and seemingly in possession of endless facts about the unnamed country (Twohy shot in Estonia) From a practical travel guide, the couple pushes to flee from the detention center, flee to the forest and try to get to safety over which limit they can find as soon as possible. Patel and Goldberg seem to be fully involved in that bit – even though Goldberg doesn’t spend most of the film with real cabbage in her pants, she spends most of it meandering in their lush forest with a lot of round objects along her khakis, you do Not just for the pay check – and a short, very fun Dave Franco performance smells of the same devoted spirit.
It really looks like everyone on the screen is having fun, but what about the audience who sees how they do it?
Twohy’s absurdism seems to make fun of the most obvious institutions: you tell me that laws can feel arbitrary, social customs vary and marriage is a bizarre institution? Twohy, which has been developed for almost two decades – initially created by a single joke that was part of a stage game and then into the film – seems long ago to have dropped the thread about what “Bubble & Squeak” really tried to say and the inventive ways he Can say that.
Much like the cabbage and potato right from which it retrieves its title, “Bubble & Squeak” feels like a mix of spare parts from other, more original films. The real problem here? This final product is not very comforting or filling, although we sometimes get a taste of a really special taste.
Rating: C+
“Bubble & Squeak” premiered in 2025 Sundance Film festival. It is currently seeking distribution in the United States.
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