THE BEANIE BUBBLE

Based on the 2015 book ‘The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute‘ by Zac Bissonnette, THE BEANIE BUBBLE focuses on the relationship between Warner (Zach Galifianakis) and three women – Robbie (Elizabeth Banks), Sheila (Sarah Snook) and Maya (Geraldine Viswanathan) who at different stages of his development help him realise the potential of mini stuffed animals, soon to be known as ‘Beanies’.

Maya arrives at Ty’s offices as an intern, but soon develops a knack for one-to-one excellent customer services at toy conventions. Robbie manages to provide sterling support both on the sales front line and in the bedroom, whilst Sheila becomes the potential soul-mate with two children in tow, who provide the backbone of the toy design, coupled with some cool rhymes as only kids with little cynicism can provide.

The old adage of small acorns etc becomes so apt for this tale of going for gold too soon – and Warner is about to realize that you can’t stretch too far from your own ambitions if you want to maintain them…

Very entertaining true-life yarn, reminiscent of Martin Scorsese‘s THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (albeit much shorter at under two hours), backed up by a quartet of brilliant performances and competently directed by real-life couple Kristin Gore and Damian Kulash Jr. As is the case with some of Brian Grazer and Ron Howard‘s production company Imagine Entertainment‘s output, this has the poise and energy of films like APOLLO 13.

Profane at times, but very much partly a tale of sisters trying to do it for themselves. Galifianiakis and Banks are fine in their roles, but it is Viswanathan who steals the show as the enterprising support.