There comes a time in everyone’s life where we slowly transition from being a kid under our parents’ guidance to being full-fledged adults who need to navigate life on our own. There is not a designated age for when this happens, nor does it happen to everyone in the same way. Some have a plan for how and when they want to move out, whether it’s to their own apartment or go away to college. Some get forced out, and others are held back because their parents have a hard time letting them go.
In Cotton Candy Bubble Gum, Carter (Nick Darnell) is a mama’s boy glued to her like white on rice and has yet to leave home at the age of 21. When she gets engaged to a cop named Randy (Rodney J. Hobbs), he starts to feel the pressure to leave the nest given that his new stepdad is pressing him to go. In order to financially afford his own spot, he focuses heavily on landing a promotion through his internship before the end of the day. His extremely pushy boss Jason (Ben Scattone) gives him a list of wild tasks to knock out, from babysitting his teenage son, taking care of his Jeep, and even planning out his upcoming birthday party. His best friend and drug dealer Angel (Morgan Jay) is along for the ride and ultimately helps keep Carter focused through their insane day from start to finish. The pressure is on to get everything done on time to remain in his boss’ good graces so he can hopefully secure the much-needed paid job.
Cotton Candy Bubble Gum is jam packed with unhinged moments that are highly unlikely to happen to someone, but it’s fun to watch unravel on screen. Jay is a fool and will keep you laughing almost every time he opens his mouth and Darnell has many moments that will remind you of a young Chris Tucker through his facial expressions, responses, and mannerisms. While it is very entertaining, there is a much deeper subject that is gently highlighted throughout that director J Pinder must be commended for.
The Black community has generally never really addressed mental health issues head on, but that has much changed as of late. Most of our parents never taught us to speak up when we feel certain things, and oftentimes, we never really knew how to put it into words. We’ve grown up to hear things like, “Stop being so soft” or “If you cry, I’m gonna beat your butt” — not in a vicious manner, more so out of love and trying to teach us to be strong. This ultimately would lead to many suppressing their feelings and never opening up to anyone about them.
Black parents often didn’t explain how some of our emotions had labels like anxiety or depression. Within the first few minutes of the film, we see how Carter is on the brink of an anxiety attack (with Angel poking fun at him for it). He calls his mom (Mildred Marie Langford) to calm him down and takes out a piece of bubble gum to chew on, ultimately leading to him become more relaxed. His mom helps him control his breathing, making these perhaps some of the more powerful scenes.
While this is a chaotic ride with no brakes, the chasing of a lost sex tape, a potential drug overdose, and the beef with Carter’s favorite rapper Capital Gainz (R. Marcus Taylor) are not the stand out pieces of Cotton Candy Bubble Gum. Sure, they add to the entertainment value by a lot as some of the things they endured probably wouldn’t happen to the average person (well, at least not all in the same day). But the core messages of mental health, parenting, and finding your own identity are front and center. Despite desperately wanting the promotion, Carter realizes he won’t be happy with that role. As he finds himself and gets tired of being disrespected (his boss treats and talks to him awfully), he is led to a new path where he can work with his favorite rapper, make money, and truly be happy.
This is one of those films where, if you aren’t paying attention to the deeper meaning, you might find it goofy and cheesy. Pinder uses comedy to lure the viewer in, but you are kept locked in to wanting to see Carter overcome his anxiety and find himself as it is a feeling some of us are far too familiar with. As a director and a Black man, he should be commended for shedding light on a subject our community shies away from all too often. The reference to bubble gum in the title of the film sounds child-like, but the symbolism and what it represents is one of the most adult issues we face today.
Cotton Candy Bubble Gum premiered at this year’s SXSW Film and TV festival on March 11, 2025.