Joybubbles

An extraordinary man deserves an extraordinary documentary, and director Rachael J. Morrison delivers exactly that with this lively portrait of Josef Carl Engressia, also known as Joybubbles. In the era of analog telephones, when long-distance calls were prohibitively expensive, Engressia—born blind and gifted with perfect pitch—discovered he could whistle the precise tones that unlocked the phone network, allowing him to place free calls around the world. His unusual talent as one of the earliest “phone phreaks” brought both notoriety and an arrest. Yet Joybubbles’ greatest gift was his desire for connection. Later in life, he created whimsical recorded stories that anyone could access by phone, forming lasting friendships and taking calls from anyone who reached out. The film uses archival footage, audio interviews, and poppy graphics to capture the whimsy and ingenuity of Joybubbles’ life. He was a man who lived to bring happiness to the world. He is still doing it through this irresistible film. —Pam Grady