Trainwreck: Balloon Boy Review (The Greatest Hoax I Somehow Missed)

Spoiler warning: If you don’t know the real story behind Balloon Boy, do yourself a favor and watch the doc before reading this review. Trust me, this one’s worth going in blind. This Trainwreck Balloon Boy review breaks down exactly why this Netflix documentary is such a wild ride.

Netflix’s Trainwreck: Balloon Boy is a one-hour documentary that dives headfirst into one of the strangest, most chaotic media frenzies of the 2000s. Somehow, I missed it when it happened. No clue how. Maybe it was because Facebook was still finding its footing and social media wasn’t the news machine it is now. Or maybe I just wasn’t paying attention. Either way, I went into this Trainwreck Balloon Boy review knowing nothing, and it still managed to sucker-punch me in the best way.

This doc is part of Netflix’s ongoing Trainwreck anthology series, which has done a stellar job of highlighting unforgettable cultural moments that spiraled out of control. While a few entries in the series have been hit or miss (looking at you, Cult of American Apparel), this one delivers. Hard. The title alone had me expecting a mess, and oh boy, it did not disappoint.

Trainwreck Balloon Boy Review: A Wild Ride From Start to Finish

The moment that ridiculous silver flying saucer took off, I was hooked. It looked like something a third grader might build in science class if they had access to way too much tinfoil and zero adult supervision. But right off the bat, I didn’t like the Heene family. Something about the dad’s reactions felt off. It was like a bad improv routine that everyone else in the room was pretending to buy. Still, despite my spidey senses tingling, I fell for it. I genuinely thought the kid was inside that balloon.

And just when the balloon landed, and I had that lightbulb moment of, “Wait a minute, I bet he’s not even in there,” BOOM. He wasn’t. That twist hit like a truck. Then, like a lot of people probably did back in 2009, I assumed the worst: the kid must’ve fallen out mid-flight. Cue the gut-drop.

The doc did an incredible job building suspense. Even knowing something wasn’t quite right, I couldn’t look away. I was pacing, yelling at the screen, and emotionally invested in a shiny trash bag drifting over Colorado.

These People, Man…

The documentary doesn’t just retell the events; it gives the Heene family a platform to share their side. And honestly? I didn’t buy any of it. The whole thing felt like pure damage control, start to finish. Richard Heene in particular came off like a man desperately trying to rewrite history in real time. The guy has big “I’m the misunderstood genius in a disaster movie” energy.

And Falcon, the infamous Balloon Boy himself? He’s all grown up now and managed to bring some serious smug energy to the screen. Maybe I’m being harsh, but his cocky little grin rubbed me the wrong way. I know he was just a kid when this happened, but his adult self didn’t exactly win me over. It felt like he was leaning into the weird legacy of it all just a little too hard. If your takeaway from this documentary is “poor Falcon,” I genuinely want to hear your reasoning.

The doc presents their excuses, their rationalizations, and their “we were misunderstood” routine in full. But to me, it just didn’t land. It felt like a masterclass in media manipulation… only without the mastery.

Documentary Storytelling and Media Commentary

To Netflix’s credit, this documentary absolutely nailed the pacing. It’s tight, fast-moving, and brilliantly structured. The filmmakers did a phenomenal job of luring you into the chaos and then flipping the narrative on its head. Even though I was suspicious of the family from the start, I still got played. That’s impressive.

Visually, it’s slick without being overly stylized. The use of archival footage mixed with modern interviews kept things grounded, while the editing made the whole thing feel like a thriller (complete with a big reveal and a lingering sense of “what the hell did I just watch?”)

One of the strongest aspects of this Trainwreck Balloon Boy review is the film’s framing of the media. Rather than pointing fingers and yelling “Fake news!” for 60 minutes, it offers a more nuanced take: the media got duped too. They were just as shocked, and yeah, they ran with it, but it didn’t feel like they created the storm. They reported on it, then got dragged down into it like the rest of us. I appreciated that level of self-awareness.

A Standout Entry in the Trainwreck Series

As a fan of the Trainwreck series, this one easily ranks as a standout favorite. I’d put it well above the Cult of American Apparel episode, which didn’t quite land for me. Balloon Boy pulled the wool over my eyes in a way that very few documentaries ever do, and I absolutely loved that. The balance between chaos and commentary was spot-on.

This is a great watch for just about anyone, but true crime and docuseries fans will especially enjoy the chaos. There’s something universally gripping about a story this absurd, especially when it’s real. My only warning (aside from the spoiler note up top) is this: Netflix only has two more episodes planned in the Trainwreck series. I really hope that changes. These bite-sized deep dives into bizarre cultural moments are a goldmine of entertainment and perspective.

Whether you remember the original news coverage or, like me, somehow missed it entirely, Trainwreck: Balloon Boy is absolutely worth your time. It’s absurd, infuriating, captivating, and more than a little ridiculous. And I mean all of that as a compliment.

Verdict

Tony Simons

Tony has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Phoenix and over 14 years of writing experience between multiple publications in the tech, photography, lifestyle, and deal industries.