*Disclaimer- I haven’t watch the show since the early seasons of it and around the time it came out. I’m mostly viewing it as just a casual moviegoer and deciding whether or not the movie was worth my time. Nevertheless, I do mention the qualities of the show based on what I’ve heard from fans of the series. If I get any details wrong, then I do apologize!*
It’s interesting how when people talk about incredibly long-running animated shows on Fox that are still going today, people will always refers to The Simpsons, Family Guy and American Dad (Although, it’s now airing on TBS exclusively now). However, that other Fox show that people tend to leave out of that discussion which has now been running for over a decade now is Bob’s Burgers. And unlike the latter two shows I mentioned, this show actually felt compelled enough to get it’s own feature film. Regardless of what you may think of the movie and show, that’s quite an accomplishment. Despite arguably not being the most well known animated series, it still is one of the ones that was able to get it’s own movie on the big screen. *in Darth Vader’s voice* Impressive, most impressive!
When I hear most people talk about Bob’s Burgers, the most defining word of that show that I always hear brought up is “comforting”. It’s not a show that aims profoundly big or rock bottom low, but it hits that sweet, comforting middle that is able to make the show so enjoyable and last as long as it has. I might not have watched the show in it’s integrity but I do know that judging from the quality of it’s feature film, I can definitely see why the show might have completely something worthwhile from fans of the series.
Premise: Summer is just around the corner and the Belchers find themselves in a heep of financial trouble. The restaurant has now as making as much business as of late and must find a way to pay their rent for it in a week or else it will be shut down. Their situation however gets more complicated when a mysterious sinkhole forms right in front of the restaurant which basically blocks the entrance to it. It’s now a race against time as Bob (H. Jon Benjamin) and Linda (John Roberts) with the help of Teddy (Larry Murphy) must find a way to sell enough burgers to pay their rent while the kids of the Belcher family, Tina (Dan Mintz), Gene (Eugene Mirman), and Louise (Kristen Schaal) attempt to solve a mystery that might be able to save their restaurant.
Admittedly, when you judged the movie from it’s premise alone, you can make the case that The Bob’s Burgers Movie feels more like an extended episode of the show rather than a feature length film but with better animation. Unlike with other movie adaptions from animated shows such as Spongebob and The Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers doesn’t really try to have a plot as big or “epic” in scale and stakes that most would expect for a theatrical-released feature and instead prefer to keep things small and low-scale. This can be seen as both a blessing and a curse.
On one hand, while it might be a shame to not have a cute underdog, “aiming to be the hero of the day” tale that some show-to-movie adaptions like to do, it is at least nice for the movie to keep things basic and stick with what fans most like about the show. From what I see, the biggest hooks of the show involve it’s own beating heart and it’s family dynamics. The humor itself feels dry and natural, the characters are fully human and likable, the struggles and dilemmas they go through are some I imagine most families tend to go through at least a couple of times in their life, and it just has a very sweet, warm tone to the whole thing without coming across as edgy or tryhard. If that is indeed the case then the movie does a overall good job of showcasing that.
The voice cast are just as fitting with their roles as they do on the show, the animation does a good job of blending itself to the theaters, the songs are mostly nice and touching even if it can’t top the very first song, there’s some surprisingly hard-hitting emotion near the tail-end of the film, and it generally feels like the perfect kind of movie to kick off the summer with. Not just because of the time which the movie is set in but it just gets the sense that this is the start of a larger season that is ahead of us. I might be speaking from experience as someone that works at a theme park that is about to be open daily for the next three months but it is still nice to feel that special connection.
If I did have one real gripe of the movie, it’s that the pacing does come to a halt right near the tail end of the second and third act. Once we get to the big reveal of who it was behind this all along, it does spend a good portion of time on one section that I did felt like it dragged on for about five to ten minutes too long.. I also would have liked a bit of a better wrap up as the story is resolved in a way that feels like the resolution to it just kinda happened off screen. Plus, again, as nice as most of the songs were, the very best one should not be the first one of the movie. You are just asking yourself for a world of trouble there.
Sorry if this sounds like a brief review but there are really no big secrets of the quality of The Bob’s Burgers Movie. What you see is what you get! A very funny, heartfelt, and (I assume) faithful big screen adaption of the show that will leave fans delight and might even gain new fans as well (I know I want to start binging the show in my spare time!) It’s not something that particularly aims for the highest level or lowest level but just right at the comfort level. And sometimes, especially with what has transpire over the last week with recent shootings, that is MORE than okay!
This might change to a 3.5 or even 4 once I binged the show in it’s entirety. But for now, a rock-solid 3 stars!
Other comments:
- Isn’t it weird but awesome that this was able to get it’s own movie before Family Guy did? Take that, Seth McFarlane!
- Btw, yes I will make a Top Gun: Maverick review or post soon! I’m waiting to see that with my folks since they are big fans of the original and wanted to see it with me! Except to see that in the next few days.
Also, Happy Memorial Day!
Adam's Blog 