Review by Nicholas Porteous for Mr. Will Wong
DISCLAIMER: I’ve only seen a small handful of Bob’s Burgers episodes over the show’s vast decade-plus history. Can a person with little to no knowledge of the Series enjoy the Movie on its own? No sides–not even a soda??
A massive sinkhole opens in front of Bob’s Burgers at the worst possible time–Bob’s got a week to pay off a business loan, and the fate of the whole family hangs in the balance. The world of Bob’s Burgers has many of the right ingredients for a great Animated Comedy movie: the Art is bright and colourful, the Characters are wonderfully specific, the Cast is killer–including special Guest Star Kevin Kline, and they all look and sound like muppets! The only problem is the writing. There’s far too much of it. We’re talking ten jokes a minute, easily. I’m not opposed to a crunchier joke density in my comedies, but the ratio of sweet to sour is too low, with all the leftovers serving to undermine any jokes that might satisfy on their own. Sometimes I felt like I had to strain to catch up to the dialogue–getting rushed from one joke to the next like I’d accidentally ordered a seven course meal ten minutes before closing. It seems like there was a ‘more is more’ approach for the Movie Adaptation, because I don’t remember these kinds of pacing issues in the few episodes I’ve seen.
The Comedy slows down to become more digestible during the occasional musical sequences, which are delightfully composed, choreographed and sung, but also not quite funny enough. And there aren’t enough songs to call this a musical. They’re more like cinematic flourishes meant to justify the MOVIEness of it all, but they’re not essential pieces of the pie. The Sitcom nature of the Show creates issues for the stakes of the Movie as well, which presents more than a couple life-or-death situations… Is anyone expecting these characters to bite the dust?
If you’re a fan of the Series, The Bob’s Burgers Movie might do more for your appetite, but I think there’s a stronger chance this Show is best served fast to-go.
20th Century Studios Canada release THE BOB’S BURGERS MOVIE May 27, 2022.
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