‘Cotton Candy Bubble Gum’ Review – A Hilarious & Charming Coming-Of-Age Film With A Heartfelt Message

In writer-director J. Pinder’s Cotton Candy Bubble Gum, a young man trapped in a state of arrested development is forced to take his first tentative steps toward adulthood. Lucky for the audience, the hijinks that ensue make for a highly entertaining film with a surprisingly emotional core.

Carter (Nick Darnell) is what many would call a mama’s boy. For many years, it was the two of them against the world. When the film begins, his idyllic home life has come crashing down after his mother (Mildred Marie Langford) marries a passive-aggressive and vindictive cop (Rodney J. Hobbs) who is determined to kick Carter out of the house. This immediately sends the anxiety-prone Carter into a spiral. He’s currently an unpaid intern hoping his position will become a paid one soon. Chaos ensues when Carter, in an attempt to impress his boss, spends the day trying to monitor a wayward teenager, impress a famous rapper who is closeted and determined to keep his sexuality a secret, and deal with the wild impulses of his best friend, Angel (Morgan Jay).

Cotton Candy Bubble Gum is a fun time from beginning to end. Nick Darnell’s Carter is an ambitious, but socially awkward and emotionally vulnerable young man who just wants to make his dreams a reality.  Darnell portrays the character with enough vulnerability and likability that it’s hard not to root for Carter as he moves from one ridiculous situation to the next.  Carter also embodies a character trope that is rarely seen in movies: the emotionally and mentally vulnerable Black man. Often, Black male characters are created using outdated and harmful stereotypes. Here, Carter’s mental health issues, like his panic attacks, don’t make him less of a man, but represent trauma that he has to work to overcome. It’s a refreshing portrayal of Black male mental health that gives the movie a solid emotional core.

Darnell is a talented actor and comedian who leans a little too heavily into channeling Chris Tucker at times. It’ll be interesting to see how his acting talents develop as he takes on more roles and finds more of his own acting style. Again, he’s great, but I look forward to seeing him come into his own a little more. Morgan Jay’s Angel is a character who is equal parts annoying and enamoring. Angel brings out Carter’s worst impulses, but he means well because he wants Carter to live his best life. Watching the two bumble about is hilarious, and Darnell and Jay’s natural chemistry make the pair a fun duo to watch on screen.

The supporting cast also includes Carter’s boss, Jason (Ben Scattone), an obnoxious and demanding photographer who verbally abuses Carter for sport. A rapper named Capital Gainz (R. Marcus Taylor), who accuses Carter and Angel of stealing his sex tape and is determined to get it back before it destroys his reputation, and Jason’s wayward teenage son, Nate (Jack Stone). The supporting cast adds to the chaos of the film in their own hilarious ways, and the actors all do a decent job in their roles.

J. Pinder is an up-and-coming director to watch. He shot the film in 12 days and on a shoestring budget, and still managed to create a film that is well-made, beautifully shot, and a great indication of this auteur’s exceptional talent.

Cotton Candy Bubble Gum is a hilarious coming-of-age film with a talented lead, a great supporting cast, and a director who is definitely a talent to watch for.

Cotton Candy Bubble Gum is now available on Digital platforms courtesy of Shout! Studios and Radial Entertainment.