AceShowbiz - Boys Go to Jupiter is a distinctly strange animated film now available on HBO Max. From start to finish, it embraces an unconventional, offbeat style that will likely appeal to fans of Adult Swim’s unique brand of animation. The film is the work of writer and director Julian Glander, whose background includes creating short-form animations for Adult Swim, making this feature-length effort a natural extension of his aesthetic and tone. Despite a shoestring budget—under $1 million, qualifying it for the John Cassavetes Independent Spirit Award—Glander drew notable voice talent for the project, including Jack Corbett, known for NPR’s Planet Money; Elsie Fisher, star of Eighth Grade; Janeane Garofalo; and Saturday Night Live regulars Julio Torres and Sarah Sherman.

The resulting film is a deadpan, flat comedy characterized by a deliberately crude visual style. Its humor and presentation are an acquired taste, leaning heavily into surrealism and absurdity rather than traditional narrative or punchlines.

Boys Go to Jupiter: What It’s About

The story unfolds in Florida during the slow period between Christmas and New Year’s. The protagonist, teenager Billy 5000 (voiced by Corbett), spends time on the beach with friends Freckles (Grace Kuhlenschmidt), Beatbox (Fisher), and Peanut (J.R. Phillips). As Peanut attempts a melancholy freestyle rap, a strange translucent sea slug or cucumber-like creature washes ashore, prompting the group’s bored curiosity. However, Billy’s focus lies elsewhere: he’s driven by the goal of earning $5,000 delivering food via hoverboard so he can leave his sister’s home. Much of the film revolves around Billy’s interactions with a variety of eccentric characters involved in the food delivery and production chain.

While Billy is intensely focused on “the hustle,” embodying an early and somewhat anxious step toward adulthood, his friends are more content to linger in youth. Peanut even remarks on their economic situation, noting “they’re in a recession,” a nod to their working-class Floridian background. For example, Freckles appears to have very little material wealth, suggested by her casual or minimal clothing.

Billy works for a delivery service called Grubster, which enforces odd rules such as requiring him to say “Have a Grubby day!” to customers and forbidding any personal regards. One delivery takes him to Casahuevos, then to Rosario Dolphin (voiced by Miya Folick), who works at Dolphin Groves Juice Factory under the supervision of her CEO mother, Dr. Dolphin (Garofalo). Dr. Dolphin never appears physically but is represented as a floating face on a robotic screen. Rosario prefers the nickname Rozebud, emphasizing the “z.” She and Billy strike up a tentative friendship when she shows him the factory’s experimental wing. Billy eventually steals a strange, bumpy lemon from this lab, though the significance of this act remains ambiguous and open to interpretation.

From there, the narrative becomes increasingly scattered and surreal. Billy reluctantly adopts an odd, donut-shaped creature with eyeballs, naming it Donut. He attempts to exploit a glitch in the Grubster app’s currency conversion to make extra money. He also shares a philosophical dialogue with the owner of the World’s Largest Hot Dog, though much of Billy’s role is simply listening. Further deliveries include one to Herschel Cretaceous at the Cretaceous Holes minigolf center, a detail that stands out for its sheer absurdity. Meanwhile, Dr. Dolphin disapproves of Billy’s theft of the experimental lemon.

Throughout the film, Billy hangs out with his friends but remains fixated on returning to “the hustle,” having dropped out of school and viewing work as a central purpose. The story is punctuated by short music video sequences featuring plaintive dream pop songs written and performed by Glander himself. These sequences emphasize mood and atmosphere but may challenge viewers’ tolerance for such music.

What Does Boys Go to Jupiter Remind You Of?

The tone and occasional psychedelic visuals of Boys Go to Jupiter recall cult favorites like Adventure Time and Over the Garden Wall, both staples of modern, innovative animation. Moments of surrealism evoke the unsettling style of David Lynch, adding to the film’s off-kilter vibe. When compared to other low-budget indie animations, some viewers may prefer films like Flow over this one, indicating that the film’s style may not satisfy all tastes.

Standout Performances

Among the voice cast, comic Chris Fleming stands out with his portrayal of Weenie, the proprietor of the World’s Largest Hot Dog. His delivery is noted for being both humorous and engaging, providing moments of levity amid the film’s often dry humor.

Sex and Anatomy in the Animation

In an example of the film’s crude and intentionally offbeat visual style, the character Billy is shown in the shower, but his groin is represented only as a brown squiggle. This choice underlines the film’s departure from anatomical accuracy and conventional animation norms.

Our Perspective on Boys Go to Jupiter

The dream pop soundtrack leans more toward the style of Beach House rather than the ethereal Cocteau Twins, which reveals something about Glander’s artistic viewpoint and the niche audience for this film. Boys Go to Jupiter feels deeply rooted in the ennui and internet-bred detachment typical of Zillennials. This sense of emotional numbness permeates the film, blending melancholy doom with a shrugging fatalism, blurring the lines between these two states of mind.

Boys Go to Jupiter is admirable for following a unique directorial vision but often feels too strange, slow, and self-conscious to engage audiences outside its niche. It doesn’t offer any particularly new or profound commentary on social hierarchy or the rigged nature of the American economy, but beneath the eccentric visuals and random comedy lies a point of view with some subtle power and something worth observing.

Final Verdict: While Julian Glander deserves applause for his distinctive style and creative independence, Boys Go to Jupiter ultimately misses the mark for many viewers, especially those outside the post-deadpan comedy crowd. It’s a film for a very specific audience and not likely to resonate broadly. For those not on that wavelength, this movie is a pass.