Anyone who knows me knows that I am terrible on TV shows, streaming series and the like. I’m a movie buff through and through and will watch mostly anything in a theatre. You want to get me interested in sports, for example? Put it in a movie. With that said, when a show makes the cross-trek to the big screen, I’m always interested. BOB’S BURGERS is a well loved Fox animated series that got its start in 2011 and has since developed a cult following for its irreverent humour.
Even with my trepidation, a few moments into the BOB’S BURGERS movie I could easily see why this show is so popular. I get heavy early SIMPSONS and FAMILY GUY vibes out of the characters who are all very sarcastic, wise on the world and quick to point something out. The family are clearly underdogs just trying to do their best, and when a massive sinkhole blocks the entryway to their restaurant, what are they to do? And what’s up with this murder mystery that the Belcher kids have to solve?
Bob (voiced by H. Joh Benjamin) just wants to run his restaurant on the main drag even with his crazy neighbours. That sinkhole is never good for business, which also has a crime scene ready to kick the plot forward for the kids Tina (Dan Mintz), Louise (Kristen Schaal; her voice alone makes me want to watch her in MY SPY again) and Gene (Eugene Mirman) all of whom are going through their own family woes. Much of this also involves the building’s landlord, surprisingly voiced here by Kevin Kline whose voice alone just soothes the soul.
I did get a lot of laughs out of the family turning their restaurant into a mobile stand (though why didn’t they go the food truck route?) and there’s a fun sequence involving a food inspector across the street from their setup right outside of fairgrounds. There’s even an innocent bystander in this scene that didn’t even need to be included, but it gets a laugh. A lot of your enjoyment will also depend on the snarky voices of the entire cast; my favourite voice was Kristen Schaal as Louise, who has a really funny song that shows her neurosis. And the scene also has rubber ducks for some reason. Just go with it.
Visually, BOB’S BURGERS is also just so eye-pleasing to the point where it even “relaxed” me. The vibrant colours, simplistic animation and style is a great example of “Less is more” in animation. It has such a distinct style that even while I love the best of computer animation these days, this design absolutely works. Even though there were fun musical numbers with wacky dialogue, I was more a fan of the original score by Tim Davies which was a fun mixture of genres that was a like a mix between Jon Brion & Mark Mothersbaugh. Stay for the credits for a really nice medley (and you’ll get a bonus joke at the end too) that I was humming to as I left the screening.
I seemed to be more interested in the burger business being saved rather than the murder mystery plot, but it all still works to the lively style and animation throughout. If you’re going into the BOB’S BURGERS MOVIE as a fan of the show, you’re going to have a great time, and it’s definitely hooked this movie buff. Now if only more movie theatres served burgers.
BOB’S BURGERS: THE MOVIE is now playing in theatres.