After a number of delays, the burger gods (a.k.a. Loren Bouchard & Co.) have delivered upon us mere mortals the very thing we’ve waited so patiently for. Sacrificing burgers on the altar of the dining room table. Baking fresh buns with hope in our eyes. Finally, after much sacrilege and countless french fries, The Bob’s Burgers Movie has arrived!
Gene’s keyboard diddy and the inevitable fart sound ushers in nervous excitement and some preemptive giggles along with the 20th Century logo. The studio fades away to reveal an artistically elevated world of Bob’s Burgers.
Beautifully painted, the extra time and money is visible from the first frame. Besides my favorite animated family finding their way to the big screen, the film itself is visually enhanced against the weekly show. Colors are more vibrant, backgrounds are far more detailed. The introduction of new environs, such as the trailer filled carney village or the under-wharf club house are candy for the eyes.
In the same vein, familiar places are more lush, more interesting. The eye cannot help but wander around the frame, looking for signs of the show whilst noticing fresh ideas.
Familiarity is key here, for what I can only assume is an audience full of Bob’s Burgers fans and their friends. According to the numbers, first weekend attendance was about the same as weekly viewers, a little over a million people.
And so, playing on established tropes and using enhanced settings in which fans are already entrenched adds to the experience and loosens the belt on expectation.
It plays like an introduction for those who are unfamiliar to the world without provoking long time fans.
This film clearly had first timers in mind too, it’s accessible to those outside the fandom. Ever inclusive in its ethos, Bob, Linda and the Belcher kids could engross even the most clueless among us. The plot is a fresh entrance to the world, playing on known information from the show, but never relying on it to tell the story at hand.
When financial ruin looms, as it always does for the family and their restaurant, the kids take action.
Ringleader Louise catapults this thing forward, causing her own misfortune and eventually solving it. The family stares down death and divorce, things that could never seem possible in the show. Though, presented here, are plausible probabilities. Emotions run hot at key moments. Their silly brand of humor is inserted at every possible juncture. A balancing act of sheer will and really good writing.
Everything’s bigger in The Bob’s Burgers Movie, from the high stakes drama and mystery to those wild dance moves and musical numbers. Whether you’re a fan of the show or just looking for a wholesome, incredibly tight plot, get to the theater to see the Belcher family kick some ass!
Images courtesy of 20th Century Studios
