The Bob’s Burgers Movie

Today I watched The Bob’s Burgers Movie, and you know what? It wasn’t that bad. I intended to see this earlier in the week; it would have been my first time seeing an advanced screening, but I had to move it up a few days due to a scheduling conflict. I try not to be too pre-judgemental of the movies I see and try to give anything odd a chance. Still leading up to seeing this one, I found the film’s existence somewhat questionable. And I imagine a lot of others will too.
I haven’t watched a lot of Bob’s Burgers, to be honest. I’ve probably only seen less than five episodes. But based on what I have seen, it’s an animated family sitcom and is basically a less mean-spirited version of The Simpsons. It hurts to admit that one. However, the child characters are a bit closer to the ones on Family Guy but are treated with more respect.
I know The Simpsons got a movie before, but that one was coming for a long time, considering the global cultural impact of that series. Whereas I haven’t been in the loop of whatever Bob’s Burgers’ influence has been. I thought that Rick & Morty would have had a movie first.
We don’t get a lot of 2D animated tie-in films for animated TV series anymore, and that’s why I like this movie a bit. Because when I was a kid, we did get a few movies where a little cartoon show got a movie where there’s a big conspiracy for the characters now. And there’s something exceptional about seeing these characters you’ve grown familiar with and feeling genuine danger for them. The younger you are, though, the more this feeling is apparent. Like Recess: Schools Out, I found it exhilarating as a child, but as an adult, I now see how unbelievably implausible it was. It was still fun, though.
And whereas I can say that the conspiracy for Bob’s Burgers’ movie was honestly fairly realistic while also fun. Regrettably, though, unlike its ilk, despite the character likabilities, their characters arcs were stale, and I think they could have been more ambitious in that department. I’m also not entirely on board with the decision to have musical numbers, but when the lawyer started singing, I found it funny. The songs are bad on purpose. Bob’s Burgers, in general, has charmingly awkward humour.
To be real, though, this film will likely not be on my top list for 2022 films, but I didn’t find it a waste of time. I recommend it as a fun family movie despite the one toddler at the cinema with his mother who would not stop talking and walking throughout the showing. But hey, that one is on me for skipping the advanced screening.
The film’s existence does give me hope that we could get a Solar Opposites or Gravity Falls film one day. Maybe after Rick & Morty blows everything out of the water, it could be a guarantee.
For alternate recommendations, I suggest Rugrats in Paris: The Movie. And The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie- oddly also about a character technically named Bob who makes burgers for a living. Huh. Both are stronger than The Bob’s Burgers Movie and still hold up reasonably well. SpongeBob’s is a better awkward musical, too, before going full awesome at the end.
The next movie I will see in the cinema will be Lightyear, which won’t be for another few weeks, so in the meantime, expect some catch-up reviews from 2022 films. My main priority is to put out thoughts of films I have already seen but have not written anything about yet. And if I have time, I will catch up to ones that I didn’t get a chance to see.