Back in 2007,The Simpsons Moviehit theaters, over 17 years after the show first premiered in December of 1989.The Bob’s Burgers Moviedidn’t have as long of a wait before getting the movie treatment, but it does share a number of characteristics. It’s fun, silly, and cute. It’s also working with a movie-level budget, and it shows.
It’s hard not to draw comparisons between the two movies, considering both of them are based on popular Fox animated shows. Even still,The Bob’s Burgers Movieis proudly its own thing, and it definitely wears its heart on its sleeve. However, for all its charm, it often feels like it’s missing something.
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The Bob’s Burgers Movie’s story is fairly straightforward: the Belchers have just seven days to come up with enough money to pay their business loan. To make things worse, a massive sinkhole has opened up right in front of the restaurant. While Bob and Linda work on making enough money in the limited time they have, the Belcher kids, Gene, Louise, and Tina, arepulled into a murder mysteryafter Louise discovers a skeleton in the newly opened sinkhole (now known as a “crime hole”). The stories come together with Bob and Linda asking their landlord, Mr. Fischoeder, for a break on their rent, while the kids attempt to clear his name after he is charged with murder.
Fora movie adaptation of a television show, the plot still resembles something that could have been written for the small screen. That’s not necessarily a knock against the story, asBob’s Burgershas done some excellent storytelling in the half-hour format, but it does feel like the movie doesn’t quite push itself far enough, given that it has a bigger sandbox to play in. After all, the show has put the Belchers in life-or-death situations before, such as the excellent two-part season 4 finale “Wharf Horse (or How Bob Saves/Destroys the Town - Part I)” and “World Wharf II: The Wharfening (or How Bob Saves/Destroys the Town - Part II).”
That applies to the various character arcs in the movie as well. Admittedly it’s difficult to change characters too much when the movie is based on a TV show that is still ongoing, but much like the plot, the story arcs for each of the Belchers never feel like they reach the heights that they could. The only exception to this is Louise, who definitely gets the most satisfying and emotional arc in the family (even if the more emotional moments aren’t always given enough time to land).
Tina and Gene’s arcs certainly fit their characters but feel a bit too much like stories that have been done before (and better) on the show. To be fair, though, Gene has always been a character that the show has struggled with. Bob and Linda are mostly relegated to a B-story that could have been done in the first two seasons of the series, though it is always fun to watch Linda’s enthusiasm rub up against Bob’s exasperation.Their marriage remains one of the most idealistic ones in any TV show, and the same goes for the movie.
Despite its relatively simplistic plot, however, there are many ways in whichThe Bob’s Burgers Movieshines. The series voice cast is all here and gives great performances (Kristen Schaal, in particular, really shines as Louise), while the animation and sound mixing have been elevated to the big screen treatment. This is especially evident in one of the climactic third act scenes. The movie also features a number ofsupporting characters in roles of varying sizes(Teddy! Sergeant Boscoe! Jimmy Junior!), plus appearances from recurring guest actors (including Paul F. Tompkins, David Wain, and Bill Hader).
This being aBob’s Burgersmovie, it wouldn’t be complete without musical numbers.In classic Disney fashion, the story begins with a big musical number highlighting what each of the characters wants. It’s a fun piece, with everyone singing their hearts out, and it really helps to set the tone for everything that comes after. However, considering how much series creator and screenwriter Loren Bouchard has said music matters to animation, there are only three musical numbers throughout the entire movie, with the final one being mostly sing-talking and never really being as catchy as the other two.A few more big musical momentsmight have helped to elevate the movie over its television counterpart, considering how many fantastic songs have appeared throughout its 12 seasons.
There’s plenty in the movie to keep fans smiling, and it also feels fresh enough that non-fans could come into the movie without ever having seen an episode of the show. All of the familiar touches are there,including burgers of the day, a new business next door, and a cleverly-named pest control company. There’s Bob having a conversation with the burger he just made, Louise talking to her stuffed animals, Tina dealing with her adolescent romantic feelings, and Gene making music that’s more annoying than melodic.
The Bob’s Burgers Moviedoesn’t always reach the heights of making the leap to the big screen, but much like its television counterpart, it packs enough fun, charm, and hilarity to make up for its shortcomings. Loren Bouchard and the team that worked on the movie have made something really special, and it’s great to see a show that had a relatively modest beginning become such a phenomenon. Though it could have used a few more emotional beats and maybe a couple more musical numbers (only because this series has always done them so well), what is there is enough to satisfy longtime fans and newcomers alike.
The Bob’s Burgers Moviepremieres in theaters on May 27th.
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