Apple TV+ original film, “The Beanie Bubble,” goes behind the scenes of the wild Beanie Babies trend of the 90s.
It wasn’t the first toy craze to hit the world, but in 1983 Coleco Cabbage Patch Kids hit the market and created quite a frenzy. The particular reason I am starting out with this one is because of personal experience. My sisters, particularly my middle sister Jacqueline, was especially into these popular dolls, whereas I therefore became introduced.
In 1989 everyone and their mother wanted to get their hands on the hand-held coveted Gameboy. In 1992 came the Talk Boy handheld recording unit, boosted in popularity by Kevin McCallister’s character in Home Alone. Yes, I had one of these too and played the battery out of it. But nothing touched the popularity of the 1996 Tyco company’s Tickle Me Elmo, when a stampede by parents in a store hospitalized a worker and in Chicago two women were arrested after fighting over a doll. I even vaguely remember a wrestling ring being set up where parents participated in a Royal Rumble style event just to win one of the coveted prizes. Beyond those mentioned you may recall the 1998 Furby with the blinking eyes.
In the mid-90’s, Ty Beanie Babies became incredibly sought after by ingeniously partnering with McDonald’s and Wrigley Field, both helping to boost the brand’s popularity. Ty, Inc. at its very height was recorded at making a record profit of over $1 billion.
Now that the bubble has burst, you can today buy the most current dolls at your local Sheetz. Talk about a fall from grace, no offense to the thriving gas station giant. Just as the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Well Ty, Inc. didn’t in fact come to an end, but the popularity bubble certainly did burst.
Starring comedic funnyman Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover trilogy) as Ty Warner and Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games) playing Robbie, this semi-biographical tale follows a frustrated toy salesman and the three enterprising women who had a hand in catapulting his business to astronomical levels. Sounds like just another day at the office, correct? Well, it all depends on what office. Certainly not Dunder Mifflin!
One strong point that hit home in this one, just like in many unfortunate financial tales gone awry, when is enough success, enough? The hungry just get hungrier. It really is a sickness when a good majority of folks achieve certain levels of fame and fortune. You can never have enough. The thirst for more just keeps growing, and growing, and growing until eventually you lose touch with reality. Call me crazy, but sometimes I really do believe it is safer and for lack of a better term, richer to stay at the bottom of the barrel. It’s simpler there.
The Beanie Bubble was a relatively eye-opening story and was entertaining just enough that it will keep the average viewer from checking their phone repeatedly over the course of its running time. The saving grace of this project and real-life tale for that matter is the three integral woman behind the man who was the face of it all. Proving yet again, the saying “It’s a mans world,” doesn’t always have to be the case…and what makes that statement ring even louder, is it’s coming from a man himself.
”The Beanie Bubble,” starring: Zach Galifianakis, Elizabeth Banks, Sarah Snook
Christopher’s “Meow” Score: “6 1/2” paws out of 10.
