In Jumper, neighborhood bullies give David Rice the nickname “Rice Bowl.” The insult is a cruel play on his surname, Rice, and is used during the movie’s childhood flashbacks before David discovers that he can teleport.
David’s ability to “jump” through space changes his life dramatically. After being trapped beneath ice in a frozen river, he instinctively teleports to safety and realizes that he can travel almost anywhere he has seen or imagined. He uses the power to escape his difficult home life and later to rob banks and live as a wealthy fugitive.
The nickname belongs to David’s pre-teleportation life and helps establish how isolated and bullied he was as a teenager. It is easy to confuse “Rice Bowl” with the film’s title or with the word “jumper,” which refers to people with teleportation abilities rather than a personal nickname.
The 2008 film stars Hayden Christensen as David, with Samuel L. Jackson as Roland Cox, a Paladin who hunts Jumpers. It was loosely adapted from Steven Gould’s 1992 science-fiction novel, although the movie changes many characters and plot details.