The Beanie Bubble (2023) — Movie Review

In a peculiar phase of cinematic interest where filmmakers delve into business rise-and-fall narratives from the 80s and 90s like "Air," "BlackBerry," and "Tetris," the spotlight has now fallen on beanie babies. "The Beanie Bubble" on Apple TV+ attempts to dissect the craze that transformed these stuffed toys into treasured collectibles. Unfortunately, the film offers little more in terms of information than a basic Wikipedia entry. It delivers even less enjoyment. "The Beanie Bubble" is a disappointingly flat cinematic experience. It fails to provide any meaningful point of view or commentary, remaining largely ambivalent.

In this film, Zach Galifianakis plays Ty Warner, the individual whose eventual betrayal of personal and professional relationships provides the necessary conflict. Right from the onset, "The Beanie Bubble" employs a confusing manipulation of time and point of view. It oscillates between the early days of Warner's stuffed toy empire and the capitalistic utopia of the Beanie Babies era before their inevitable downfall. This movie primarily tells the tale of three women who are unwittingly pulled into Ty's damaging sphere of influence. It attempts to portray the story from multiple angles, but the lack of depth in each narrative makes it feel inadequate.

Among the talented cast is Elizabeth Banks who plays Robbie. Robbie is Ty's business partner who he quickly sidelines as Beanie Babies catapult Ty Inc. into success. Banks masterfully portrays the treachery element of this corporate narrative, yet her character seems underdeveloped. The film’s narrative flow, bouncing between the periods of Ty Inc., feels forced and adds little to the plot. The film notably lacks chapters that effectively illustrate the transition of Ty and Robbie from ambitious dreamers to cynical facilitators of mass consumption, making it a perplexing screenplay.

Sarah Snook plays Sheila, a woman who marries Ty and whose daughters play a role in designing the Beanie Babies. Sheila and her daughters' inevitable alienation due to Ty's financial pursuits is unfortunately predictable, yet Snook's portrayal is commendable. Geraldine Viswanathan as Maya, the woman who inadvertently sparked the Beanie Baby frenzy and pioneered internet commerce, also delivers a praiseworthy performance despite her character's limitations.

"The Beanie Bubble" seems to grapple with its primary narrative aim. The concluding montage suggests a focus on the relentless American pursuit of novel trends. However, the film doesn't effectively portray this. It feels more like a loosely connected series of events rather than a coherent narrative. Ultimately, "The Beanie Bubble" comes across as another hastily assembled corporate biopic. It might be a good idea to skip this one.