The film centers on the life of Tod Lubitch (John Travolta), who was born with an improperly functioning immune system. This means that contact with unfiltered air may kill him, so he must live out his life in incubator conditions.

He lives with his parents, since they decided to move him from the hospital where he was being kept as a boy.

He is constricted to staying in his room all his life, where he eats, learns, reads and exercises, while being protected from the outside world by various coverings.

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Reviewer: KimBuchanan - favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 18, 2020

Subject: Potent in quarantine From my own "bubble" I watched this for the first time. It gives a whole new perspective on being free and outside our bubble.



Enjoyed this a lot, oldie but a goodie. - April 18, 2020Potent in quarantine

Reviewer: Cassiemoon - favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 2, 2020

Subject: Still holds up today Week 3 of quarantine for COVID-19. I can relate to Travolta's character. Makes you realize what is really important in life and not to take it for granted. Also, caring and serving others.Great message movie. - April 2, 2020Still holds up today

Reviewer: tastynagol - favorite favorite favorite - December 19, 2019

Subject: Better as a Unintentional Comedy John Travolta is creepy as hell in this movie, and is horribly miscast. I found that if you view this as a comedy it actually works better. - December 19, 2019Better as a Unintentional Comedy

Reviewer: Solodad - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - January 17, 2019

Subject: The Boy in the Plastic Bubble Beautiful movie about living a protected life and the growth of an individual who blossoms from inside......John Travolta is magical and shows his light and joy of life in moments that are deeply sensitive and natural........touching on life deeply from inside ......as he matures his need to step the boundaries of time into the unknown and explore his male with freedom......his performance is boundless and beautiful....... - January 17, 2019The Boy in the Plastic Bubble

Reviewer: LyLy LyNx - favorite favorite - September 24, 2015

Subject: A Sensitized, Blubbering Case Of Abhorrent MisCasting John Travolta's image-conscious agents were, (like contemporary, image-conscious press agents

in the music industry are vainly attempting to project the pretty boy, Justin Beber, into a somewhat "bad-boy" image, to expand his potential listening audience) trying to project J. T. into being a more versatile, (hence, credible actor), but in this atypical, pretentious, situation, into even more of a heart throb, via further identifying him as now also being an abjectly helpless Boy in the bubble scenario, with no way out ... Barf .. it just does not "Jive with me", given his past, bawdy/coarse/self-righteous character acting, both on TV/film ... Although his later acting endeavours, have been more credible, apparently his lust-filled sexual appetite (like on his earlier TV/film scenarios) is still readily observable, via real life photo-ops, but, then, any publicity (except in cases like Bill Cosby's), is often better for one's wallet, than, in essence, being forgotten by the frothing at the mouth multi-media, who are also each perennially searching for the unique "scoop", to advance their own, respective, money-grubbing careers, and put their elevated, divine image on TV talk shows, where they can usurp the image-conscious talk-show hosts/hostesses, who are either trying to resurrect their acting careers, become producers of the inane blabber-mouth shows ... or use their accumulated money (like, Kelly, from the "Regis and Kelly Show"), to enslave Filipinos women (much cheaper wages/poorer working conditions/fewer benefits/longer hours), via starting their own, amoral. respective, high-end clothing line, or fund other unethical, money-grubbing products, in other disadvantaged countries, but, then, we know who the real tears are shed for in these true-to-life, self-righteous, profiteering scenarios. - September 24, 2015A Sensitized, Blubbering Case Of Abhorrent MisCasting

Reviewer: JerseyPsycho - favorite favorite favorite - November 16, 2012

Subject: The TRUE story behind the movie http://www.houstonpress.com/1997-04-10/feature/bursting-the-bubble/



Its far from as bright and rosy as the movie makes it out to be. Its far from as bright and rosy as the movie makes it out to be. - November 16, 2012The TRUE story behind the movie

Reviewer: jazzfan - - November 27, 2011

Subject: We Americans Live In A BPA-Plastic Bubble Canada had sense enough to ban the poison. Now to the movie: I refuse to believe that Johnny Revolta is a serious actor. Just another bag of grease. I just read on IMDB that Johnny Revolta was porking Diana Hyland, that they "fell in love." Gotta run, the Saturday night fights is coming on right now. It's live from the St Nickolas Arena on Dumont's Ch. 5. - November 27, 2011We Americans Live In A BPA-Plastic Bubble

Reviewer: m.oreilly - favorite - November 26, 2011

Subject: @ doowopbob yep, an immaculate scientology conception: living in a plastic bubble. come on down folks! kick the (tires) bubble! buy in! - November 26, 2011@ doowopbob

Reviewer: dano415 - favorite favorite favorite - November 24, 2011

Subject: great, but Great movie--done--period. I know it was made for

TV movie, but I remember the original quality was much better.



I'm assuming the original analogue film was not taken care of , and over the years in a sweat box--deteriorated?



Does anyone know for sure what happened to the master copy? - November 24, 2011great, but

Reviewer: Pixiecherries - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - July 19, 2011

Subject: A Wonderful Movie I've also been looking for this movie for years. I have multiple chemical sensitivities and can have no perfumes or strong chemicals in my house. Everything is unscented or it is on a shelf on the patio.



This movie is unvarnished and sensitive. One of my favorite Travolta films. He is so young and talented. No surprise he became a super star. I was a teenager when this came out. Everything about it reminds me of my childhood. The clothes, the hairstyles, the way people related to each other prior to home computers. This is exactly how it was back then.



Diana Hyland who plays his mother was his real life first serious relationship. She was 16 years older than Travolta. They met making this movie. Unfortunately she died about a year later in his arms. She had cancer. The other characters are played by powerhouse talents of the day. Glynnis O'Connor is beautiful as Gina.



I don't know how it ended up in the public domain but that makes it a real treasure. - July 19, 2011A Wonderful Movie

Reviewer: James Y. - favorite - June 28, 2011

Subject: Boy in Plastic Bubble Review It has some immodesty. Bikini, I think.

It has some kissing etc.. before marriage paperwork. (Not sure if they even get married.) - June 28, 2011Boy in Plastic Bubble Review

Reviewer: LadeeP - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - February 23, 2011

Subject: Thank you !! Hi, My name is Bobbi and I am a 46 year old woman. I love movies so much. For years I have been hoping to find this movie. Thank you so very much. I am going to enjoy watching this. Over and over if possible.



Forever Greatful,



Bobbi P. - February 23, 2011Thank you !!

Reviewer: marcego - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - August 6, 2010

Subject: a great film i'm looking for this film about 25 years. I'm seen this film on 1988 in Argentina and in the Travolta's filmography is not remember that. I think is one of the great's film of Travolta's films. - August 6, 2010a great film

Reviewer: doowopbob - - May 2, 2010

Subject: ...Stop IT..! ...She Could'nt Be Prego..Reed Was A Homo..! - May 2, 2010...Stop IT..!

Reviewer: Tammy81760 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - September 22, 2009

Subject: still love this movie I remember watching this movie on TV when I was 16 and in love with John Travolta. I cried at the end and wondered what ever happened to Tod. it still holds a place in my heart. It made a 16yr old girl think about people who we view as different, and to try and treat them the same as anyone else. It made an impression that has lasted a life time. I would highly recommend this movie to be viewed by all teenagers. - September 22, 2009still love this movie