There is a lot to admire about Alex Rust. His life was marked by an irrepressible free spirit, genuine affection for people and insatiable curiosity about the world around him. But in the face of great risks, his adventurous spirit often trumped his intelligence. This ultimately led to his tragic death at the age of 28 during a sailing expedition around the world, but also gave his life a rich meaning that most of us miss.
The riveting documentary, Chasing Bubbles, documents every step of his journey, through candid interviews with his closest friends, family and traveling companions, as well as the stunning library of footage he captured along the way.
Alex has achieved great success professionally as a day trader in the stock market, but quickly realizes that the 9-to-5 lifestyle is not for him. Burdened by his father’s death and restless with a bigger purpose, he buys a humble sailboat, names it Bubbles, and decides to sail the world. On his travels, he enlists everyone from relatives to complete strangers to take part in the adventure, while photographing the various sights he will visit along his ambitious route. In his mind, his journey was too impressive to experience alone.
Viewers of the film will feel like fellow travelers as Alex and his crew experience the majestic vistas of nature, interact with long-unrecorded communities, and even scale a rumbling active volcano . Those closest to Alex testify to his inspiring character and reflect his dogged determination against the dangers of severe weather, near-catastrophic collisions and often unbearable living conditions.
Chasing Bubbles is both a stunning travelogue and an interesting character study. What drives Alex? Is he embracing the possibilities of life, or is he running from a pain he cannot define? How can we apply the lessons of his journey to our own lives, and what meaning should we draw from the events of his death from typhoid so early? It’s in this personal exploration that the film really resonates.
Directed by: Topher Cochrane, Alex Rust
