20th Century Studios
Hungry for dry comedy? While The Bob’s Burgers Movie is low on its titular lunch, it delivers on laughter in a sweet, small-scale adventure.
Based on the Bob’s Burgers television show (now finishing its 12th season), the movie is filled with predictably similar offerings: the bright, clean animation style and the show’s signature dry, humourous tones. (Quick deadpan banter defines the series, and its a signature throughout the movie too.)
Small town restauranteur and Dad, Bob Belcher (H. Jon Benjamin, who voices several roles) finds out he has seven days to make a critical loan payment or he loses the restaurant. The rest of the movie follows those seven days…filled with every restaurant owner’s non-stop worst nightmares.
“What if I haven’t seen the show before?”, you might ask. I had only ever seen one episode before going to the movie, and my companion knew nothing other than the main character was named Bob and he made burgers.
The concept is simple and approachable enough that you don’t need to be familiar with the show to enjoy (and appreciate) the movie. There are some small easter eggs to the show, including a poignant and funny hat tip to the show’s opening sequence right at the end.
While the show isn’t a musical, the movie comes close to one (with four original songs that advance the story) and they’re pleasant if somewhat forgettable. Some of this influence may come from director/creator Loren Bouchard’s work on his musical series Central Park for AppleTV+.
The only reservation (get it?) on leaving the theatre was how surprisingly small scale the movie is - the action feels isolated to a dozen or so characters, and never goes beyond the ramifications of the Belcher family and their neighbours.
An easy comparison would be to summer 2007’s mega-hit The Simpsons Movie, also a spinoff film from a long-running 20th Century animated television series. That movie had a story where the Simpsons family saw their world expand beyond Springfield, with consequences with a national impact.
Just because The Bob’s Burgers Movie is smaller doesn’t make it bad. Most of it’s run time is charming and chuckle-inducing, which definitely makes for a fun night out.
But it’s passably pleasant demeanour also means, while enjoyable, it feels like more of a warm up to the rest of what the multiplex will offer later this summer.
The Bob’s Burgers Movie
7 out of 10
PG, 1hr 42mins. Animated Comedy.
Directed by Loren Bouchard and Bernard Derriman.
Starring H. Jon Benjamin, Kristen Schaal, John Roberts, Dan Mintz, Eugene Mirman, David Wain, Zach Galifianakis and Kevin Kline.
Now Playing at Film.Ca Cinemas, 5 Drive-In, Cineplex Winston Churchill and Cineplex Oakville & VIP.
