sddavis63 When this movie was made, John Travolta was at the height of his popularity as the tough guy sex symbol "sweathog" Vinnie Barbarino from the TV series "Welcome Back, Kotter." Obviously, he had plans to become a major star and to do that he would have to demonstrate some range of ability; he would have to show that he had the capacity to take on a very different role and make it work. Certainly he managed to do that as "Tod Lubitch - "The Boy In The Plastic Bubble." This is an obviously made for TV movie in both budget and quality. In fact, I think I remember watching it when it first aired. Still, it's a pretty good movie with an interesting subject. In spite of what it claims, I don't believe it's really "based on a true story" except in the sense that there are people who live with this problem. There was no Tod Lubitch, though. The character is (at best) a composite of people who live with the condition and an imagining of what their life must be like. According to the movie, Tod is born with an immune deficiency - in fact, with no active immune system - so that he has to be constantly kept in a sterile environment, able to interact with people only through the plastic walls that constantly surround him. Travolta, who takes over the role after brief accounts of Tod's life as an infant and as a 4 year old, does a good job of showing Tod's growing frustration with the limitation he has to live with and of his desire to be free of it, as well as of his growing feelings for his neighbour Gina, with whom he falls in love. Tod experiences a growing independence, up to and including attending high school in a sort of space suit and graduating. When Gina makes her decision to go to art school in New York City, Tod is left with a decision - to stay in his safe but sterile (in every way) environment, or to take the risk of walking out into the world. In the end, he enters the world, and the last scene is of Tod and Gina riding off on a horse together (a bit too romantic a scene, perhaps) so that Tod's ultimate fate is left unknown to the viewer. Instead, we're left with a strange combination of hopefulness but also anxiety - a somewhat unsatisfying ending, I thought.The supporting cast was good, but this was Travolta's movie. There were some plot problems created by the scene in which Tod runs out of air in his suit and has to run back to his "bubble" in the classroom before he suffocates. He just runs right into the bubble. Wouldn't his suit have been contaminated? And after he goes in, a classmate - who lost a $10 bet to him - slips the $10 bill right into the bubble. Again, wouldn't it be contaminated? Plot oversights aside, it's a pretty well done and interesting story. 7/10

dutchgirl1966 What is up with the ending of this movie anyway?? Watch the background while Todd is walking toward Gina and they are by the horse. WHAT IS UP WITH THE GHOST WALKING IN THE BACKGROUND!?!??! Is this part of the movie and I am totally missing something or is this some unexplained fluke? Overall the movie was great, but that ending gave me the complete and total creeps. Is this some kind of movie mistake or is it something unexplained like the "Three Men and Baby" so=called ghost lurking in the background? The movie was just on TV this week on TVLand for some kind of retro TV movie week. I watched it, saw that ghost, then promptly went to bed with a chill down my spine for the rest of the night.

happipuppi13 Indeed,what would they say? That is,the cast of this film if they could see how time has only served to treat this above par TV movie,like it's some sort of 1970's retro-joke?! I'm sure if Robert Reed were alive today he'd be outraged! My main thought though,does Travolta know about this? ...and if he does,why hasn't he done something about it? If I were an actor I'd certainly find a way! I bought this on VHS in 1997 after having not seen it for over 18 years. On the cover of mine is a fairly young Travolta wearing a white turtleneck. (Ick!) It was a mere $2 at Montgomery Wards and here's why...it was a cheap knock-off recorded off FOX Channel 32 in Chicago! The stations logo briefly appearing during the scene of Todd's fist day in High School.Okay,enough of the tirade! My opinion of the movie itself? I think it's one of the finest "movies of the week" ever made at the time and in some cases,since. I saw this in it's initial airing on Nov. 12th,1976 and never forgot it. Travolta gives us a waterfall of emotions in this film:Joy,Sadness,Anger,Fear,etc. Films about medical conditions usually would have been preachy or maudlin. This treats Todd's condition like it should be, not "oh poor Todd,he's an outcast!" Like Robert Reed says to the reporters,"My son's not a freak!" He turns in a very good performance as well. He doesn't completely do a 360 from Mike Brady but it was a good start. The other young actors do a fine job of being exactly what kids are like when faced with something they don't understand. They talk about Todd behind his back and Gina plays a cruel joke on him at a beach outing. I wont say more about them,I don't want to ruin it for those who haven't seen it.It's no wonder that Travolta became as big as he did! "Welcome Back Kotter" was a mere stepping stone compared to this. This was his spring- board to "Saturday Night Fever" and beyond,in my view. To all those under 30 who haven't seen this....forget that it's made in the '70s and watch it for the story alone. I know you will not be disappointed.In closing,one amusing thing I remember. Without giving away anything,when I saw the ending back in '76 at age 8,I thought he was "all better"! (Ha-ha,talk about innocence).

MovieAddict2016 Cheap melodramatic made-for-TV production (supposedly based on a true story) about a young man (John Travolta) who has a rare immune disease that prevents his body from keeping out deadly germs, so he spends his days in a gigantic plastic bubble. Very predictable and full of sappy TV cliches. It's just not very good. I refer the comedy remake of 2001, "Bubble Boy," despite its critical insultations.