It begins excitingly enough: an American couple (Himesh Patel and Sarah Goldberg) anxiously wait at a stupid customs office in a named Slavic country. They’ve just arrived on their honeymoon – Declan (Patel), we’re told, wanted the couple to enjoy a holiday somewhere “off the beaten path” and financially, Delores (Goldberg) doesn’t seem to have much of a pull on Matter – and are being held in official custody , who are believed to have already broken one of the most important laws of their destination by smuggling in contraband. The law in question is beyond silly (this seems to be the bulk of the gag at hand), but filmmaker Evan Twohy’s concept for His debut film “Bubble & Squeak” is original enough to generate lots of audience goodwill and patience, at least initially.
It’s about cabbage. Again: cabbages. And get ready to hear the word “cabbage” countless times over film95 minute driving time. Cabbage. Cabbage! Isn’t it fun? While Declan can’t believe the treatment they’re getting regarding this matter, first from a maned Steven Yeun as the head of customs, and later from his crazy boss (Matt Berry, playing a hollow mash-up of Wes Anderson and Werner Herzog), it it soon becomes apparent to the audience why they have been held by the government brass. Courtesy of one of the film’s truly inspired visual cues, it’s off-limits: Delores’ pants are absolutely blow up with cabbages.
Inevitably, the question will arise: even without fear of breaking the law, why the hell would anyone go off on their honeymoon with dozens of cabbage heads stashed in their pants? This question will never be answered, as Twohy tries to use Delore’s cabbage-smuggling and Declan’s can-fix-everything attitude to highlight the glaring differences in their personalities. Can you ever know anythe movie seems museums, especially your spouse? But blinkered by a movie that’s too embarrassed to be funny and too messy to say anything with clarity, it’s one of many throwaway concepts that never sticks and rarely elicits a laugh.
Declan, ever practical and seemingly in possession of endless factoids about the named country (Twohy shot in Estonia) From a handy travel guide, the couple shoots to escape custody, escape to the woods and try to get to safety across whatever border they can find soon. Patel and Goldberg seem fully committed to the piece – although Goldberg doesn’t spend the bulk of the film with actual cabbage in her pants, she spends most of it capturing her lush woods with a bunch of round objects down her khakis, you don’t just for the paycheck—and a brief, very funny Dave Franco appearance smacks of the same dedicated spirit.
It sure looks like everyone on screen is having fun, but what about the audience watching them ham it up?
Twohy’s absurdism seems to poke fun at the most obvious institutions: You say laws can feel arbitrary, social mores vary, and marriage is a bizarre institution? Developed over nearly two decades — originally spawred by a single joke involving a stage play and then the film — Twohy seems to have long ago lost track of what “Bubble & Squeak” was really trying to say and the inventive ways he might say it.
Like the cabbage and potato dish from which it takes its title, “Bubble & Squeak” feels like a mishmash of spare parts from other, more original films. The real problem here? This end product is not particularly comforting or filling, although we do occasionally get a taste of a really special flavor.
Grade: C+
“Bubble & Squeak” premiered in 2025 Sundance Film festival. It is currently seeking US distribution.
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