The Balloonatic (1923) – A daft sky-high laugh with a side of anxiety

So, picked up Buster Keaton’s The Balloonatic last friday after fika – you know, that urge for something light between kanelbullar and existential dread? Oh man, talk about a madcap mess (in the best way).

Let’s talk cast: Keaton, the original stoneface legend. He’s got this deadpan style that somehow makes falling into boiling water look like a valid life choice. I mean, how does a bloke keep that poker face while he’s being battered by slapstick chaos? And co-star Phyllis Haver, who brings a proper spark – you kinda wish she’d gotten more to do sometimes, but those were the times, I guess. Directed (yeah, and produced) by Keaton himself, that means lots of unexpected gags, like a Swedish midsummer that gets out of hand after the first snaps.

It’s only twenty minutes, but crammed with gags – balloon rides gone bananas, canoes tipping, not to mention suspiciously aggressive wildlife. The bit with the bear got my heart pounding like the time my farfar accidentally woke up that elk in Värmland. Still can’t eat elk stew without giggling.

I mean, there’s a restlessness here, a sort of “life’s a circus, hope your pants stay on” panic I could relate to after my first time in a hot air balloon over the Stockholm archipelago (spoiler: I dropped my phone over Värmdö). Keaton makes absurdity feel almost comforting, kind of like a Eurovision final after too many beers.

Anyway, it’s not perfect – some gags feel dated, bit too frantic, and the romance is thin as a Sunday morning kaffe. But for me, it lands somewhere between silly art and pure joy. I’d stick it on for film-curious teens or anyone needing a reminder that chaos is sometimes the best way to keep your feet on the ground, or, you know…up in the clouds.

watch the full movie on Mavshack Movies on YouTube

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