Boys Go to Jupiter: A Review

Our newest columnist Alexander Garay explores the wild world of animation, covering the smallest indie French film to the latest blockbuster hit in his signature style. His debut column covers Boys Go to Jupiter, which he calls “A 3D Animated Lo-Fi Masterpiece.” Welcome, Garay! 

By Alexander Garay

Boys Go to Jupiter is an eccentric 3D animated feature film written, directed, and animated by Julian Glander. Known for his unique “lo-fi” 3D aesthetic, Glander implements these visuals to create a satirical take on the modern gig economy.

This film represents the struggles today’s teenagers face when it comes to making a buck while still navigating adolescence. This theme is perfectly encapsulated in one of the most creative films I’ve ever seen.

The protagonist is Billy 5000, a 16-year-old math whiz who has dropped out of school. He is obsessed with saving exactly $5,000 so he can move out of his sister’s garage. He spends his days on a hoverboard delivering food for a delivery app called Grubster. While making a delivery to the high-security Dolphin Groves Juice Company, Billy reunites with his old crush, Rozebud. During the visit, a small, gelatinous alien creature named Donut accidentally hitches a ride in his delivery bag.

Billy forms a bond with the alien, but he soon discovers that Dr. Dolphin, the ruthless CEO of the juice company, is desperate to get Donut back to use the creature’s biology to create a revolutionary new orange juice. The film follows Billy as he navigates his friendships with a group of local “slacker” teens, his growing feelings for Rozebud, and the moral dilemma of choosing between his financial goals and protecting his new extraterrestrial friend.

The film features a very distinct, “bubbly” look that resembles 2000s-era video games. Impressively, Glander animated the entire 90-minute film in just 90 days using the open-source software Blender.

As an absurdist musical coming-of-age comedy, it features several original songs written by Glander that reflect the characters’ internal lives. The movie also features a “who’s who” of modern alternative comedy, including Jack Corbett (known for NPR’s Planet Money TikToks) as Billy 5000 and Janeane Garofalo as Dr. Dolphin. Joe Pera, Julio Torres, Sarah Sherman, and Elsie Fisher also appear in supporting roles.

Boys Go to Jupiter critiques the “hustle culture” of the gig economy, showing how young people are forced to view every second of their time as a potential dollar sign. It captures the feeling of being a teenager in a boring suburb where nothing—and everything—seems to happen at once.

This one-of-a-kind film takes creativity to another level. By using oranges as an analogy for consumerism and alien creatures to hint at the protagonist’s need for stability, it achieves something truly unique. This is a highly rewatchable film that will be remembered as a timeless masterpiece.

Read more of Garvey’s work at toxicbird.substack.com/