“The Bubble” is a documentary about The Villages from writer/director Valerie Blankenbyl that was released in 2021.
I was able to see it when it was featured at the 2021 Sarasota Film Festival. In part because the film's director and production companies are based in Europe, it has not been widely shown here in the U.S., until now!
Vice Media Group posted it as part of “The Short List”, a collection of some of the world’s best documentaries, curated by VICE founder Suroosh Alvi.
You can watch the full-length documentary right here:
This documentary is quite different from the other recent film about The Villages, “Some Kind of Heaven“.
In my review of The Bubble over on my website about The Villages, I wrote:
Where “Some Kind of Heaven” fell short for a lot of viewers was the fact that it focused on a handful of characters that I think most people would struggle to call “typical Villagers”. Instead of focusing so much on the lives of the characters in the film, “The Bubble” focuses more on the concept of The Villages, and the impacts it has on the people, the economy, and the environment both inside and outside the community.
In my opinion, the best part of the video above is the interview with the director at the end of the film, so be sure to stay for that.
While the film's name is similar to that of my website and book about The Villages, Inside the Bubble, it also shares the same name as a 2013 documentary about Celebration, the town built by Disney located near Walt Disney World in the Orlando area.
“The Bubble” is definitely not a commercial for The Villages. The film sheds light on issues such as political divisiveness, control of the developer, environmental concerns like excessive water use and sinkholes, as well as the seemingly endless growth the community is experiencing.
Most of these topics are not news to residents of The Villages or people who have done even a little bit of research about the community, but they can be off-putting to some.
Luckily there are a lot of other great Florida communities to consider.
Here's a more in-depth look at what the film covers:
A New Vision of Retirement
The Villages presents itself as a utopian vision of retirement – imagine a college campus for the elderly, complete with golf courses, town squares, and endless activities. Residents describe a lifestyle that seems to defy traditional notions of aging. Many claim the community “adds ten years to your life,” with opportunities for everything from belly dancing to pickleball, and golf cart parades to evening concerts.
The Complexity Beneath the Surface
However, Blankenbill's documentary reveals a more nuanced reality. The Villages operates as a powerful private enterprise, controlled by a single family who owns not just the development but many of the businesses within it. The community has its own media outlets – newspaper, radio station, and television channel – leading to questions about information control and community isolation.
Environmental and Social Impact
The documentary raises important questions about sustainability and community impact. Local residents outside The Villages express concerns about:
- Water usage and environmental effects
- Displacement of long-time residents
- Loss of agricultural land
- Cultural shifts in the broader community
A Reflection on Modern Aging
Perhaps most compelling is how The Villages reflects broader societal questions about aging in America. The community represents both an escape from and a response to ageism, creating a space where seniors can remain active and engaged. Yet it also raises questions about age segregation and its effects on broader social fabric.
Looking Forward
As America's population continues to age, The Villages offers both inspiration and warning about potential futures of retirement living. While it provides an attractive solution for many retirees, the documentary encourages viewers to consider the broader implications of age-segregated communities and their impact on society as a whole.
After you watch the video, let me know what you thought of it in the comments down below!
This documentary was better than Some Kind of Heaven.But I don’t think it really grasp the entire feeling of retirement. We need someone who is older To do a documentary. The narrator of the movie did not understand what retirement could be. She could not figure out what you would do if you did not have to work for a living anymore. One thing that’s not the discussed is improving your health with physical exercise. Or working on spiritual and mental tasks that you didn’t have time when you were working. Going in a total different direction than you ever have before. People are living longer and healthier so they do not want to sit around and watch TV anymore. They want to be active. The gentleman in the movie was upset about change. Change is part of life. Even as I live in the north things change. You need to adapt to change.
I viewed this as another hit piece that really isn’t representative of The Villages. Why do they always focus on Spanish Springs and surroundings Villages where the oldest villagers live? The woman from the Orlando newspaper has to be one of the world’s worst reporters! Its common knowledge and has been reported at length that the purpose of the gates at each village is to slow down cars for the golf cart crossing. It’s another “Almost Heaven” with just a different flavor…..