The Belchers make the big leap from the small screen to the big screen in a fun adventure that will please longtime fans of the beloved series.
A ruptured water main creates an enormous sinkhole right in front of Bob’s Burgers, blocking the entrance indefinitely and ruining the Belchers’ plans for a successful summer. While Bob and Linda struggle to keep the business afloat, the kids try to solve a mystery that could save their family’s restaurant. As the dangers mount, these underdogs help each other find hope as they try to get back behind the counter.
When the first trailer was released, fans got a glimpse at what co-creator Loren Bouchard and co-director Bernard Derriman had been cooking up in bringing the beloved TV show to the big screen. Chiefly, shadows. While much of the show is evenly “lit” and thereby pretty basic in appearance, the movie drapes itself in shadows. This brings a new and welcomed sense of dimension that works really well on a theater screen. It also helps creates an atmosphere of desperation as Bob groans over the dread of his dreams plummeting to the ground as well as the dark path that his kids are going down.
The musical numbers are just as flashier as ever, which is nothing new to the series, as characters are known for breaking into songs that are sincere and absurd. Now that they have a bigger budget, they can really build up the cast and choreography. Part of the uniqueness of the songs in Bob’s Burgers is that they aren’t really great songs and none of the Belchers’ have that great of a singing voice, but every song embraced these quirks and leaned into the passion of the performances – like turning a ballad about being stuck on a toilet into a powerful song of triumph, despite its flat and squawking duet. In the movie, Bouchard grows his cast of characters into a rousing troupe, who cheerfully dance while jamming out to a song called “ Luck Ducks.” The Belchers also get a bit of an upgrade in their movements, thanks to the magic of animation that uses every frame to express themselves.
While newbies to Bob’s Burgers are sure to enjoy this movie, there are plenty of established arcs that make their way into the film. Of course, money troubles are nothing new for the Belchers, and neither is Teddy’s overeagerness to help while also weaving his way into the family. Louise is still hard-headed but big-hearted, Gene is still dreaming of becoming a rockstar, and Tina is still pining over that shallow cad, Jimmy Jr. But long-time fans will be thrilled over two big revels that have been brewing for a long time on the show, including the origins of Louise’s signature bunny ear hat.
Overall, Bouchard and his crew bring plenty of fun to this movie. The animation sizzles with the enhanced expression. The voice cast is brilliant (as usual) whether they are muttering in dread or bursting into song. However, The Bob’s Burgers Movie does fall prey to Sitcom Syndrome, meaning that no matter how high the stakes are or how low the lows are, it still ends more or less where it began so that Season 13 can pick up without any issues. This keeps Bouchard and his fellow screenwriters, Jim Dauterive and Nora Smith, from doing anything truly drastic with the plot. But, despite all that, this long-time fan of Bob’s Burgers found The Bob’s Burgers Movie very enjoyable and worth seeing in theaters.
The Bob’s Burgers Movie is now playing only in theaters.
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