The Bob’s Burgers Movie review: a great first burger, or 200th

The great thing about Fox’s animated TV sitcom Bob’s BurgersThe appeal lies in the title. You like burgers? Wonderful. Here’s a show that will give you the same feeling. For those unfamiliar with the pleasures involved, here’s one person’s take: A burger is unassuming and simple, to the point where just about any fast-food place in America will offer one, even if the rest of the menu is focused on something radically different. As with pizza, there are countless ways to prepare a burger, but the basics are the same everywhere — and no matter how many burgers you’ve had, those basics can still be surprising.

The Bob’s Burgers MovieOne such example is the surprise. The feature-length incarnation of the long-running series doesn’t stray very far from the familiar. Just like any given episode of the show — which just wrapped its 12th season with its 238th episode in late May — The Bob’s Burgers MovieBob Belcher and Linda Roberts, the proprietors of the burger shop in question, are following H. Jon Benjamin (Bob Belcher) as a new crisis threatens their family’s business. Their children Tina (Dan Mintz), Gene [Eugene Mirman], and Louise (“Kristen Schaal”) become too committed to prove something to others and themselves, leading them to embark on an absurd adventure that may help their parents.

It is the way most episodes are made. Bob’s BurgersIt’s easy to summarize the story, and this movie does it well. This time, the problem threatening the burger shop is a massive sinkhole right at its front door, keeping the Belchers from doing business during an annual festival that’s vital to keeping them afloat. The school year is coming to an end for the Belcher kids, who each want to leave their mark. Demurely horny eldest child Tina wants to kiss the boy she’s crushing on. Gene created a instrument that can be described as a vibraslap, made from spoons and napkin holders. This is something he hopes to use in order to realize his dream of starting an orchestra. And youngest child Louise, never seen without her pink bunny-eared hat, wants to prove that she’s brave enough to risk her hat falling off, even though the hat is what makes her brave.

Image by 20th Century Studios

But this is because it is The Bob’s Burgers Movie, all of these conflicts are grafted onto a plot that’s a little larger than the mundane affairs of a typical episode. This time, there’s a murder involved. And eventually, all of the Belchers’ stories intersect with the story of who was murdered and why.

A murder plot can be inserted into an existing document. Bob’s BurgersIt’s a bit strange that the story is so incongruous with all of what makes this show such a great experience. In some ways, it’s just an excuse to make sure the story is big enough to wrap a film around — while The Bob’s Burgers MovieIs more into thrills than anything else Bob’s Burgers proper, the murder plot makes sure there’s room to stack the film high with recurring characters like the Belchers’ landlord, Calvin Fischoeder (Kevin Kline), and his weirdo brother Felix (Zach Galifianakis). In other ways, it’s kind of a farce: a one-off movie based on a long-running and still ongoing TV show can’t really do anything too drastic to its status quo. And that’s fine! Bob’s Burgers, like the delicious and commonplace food it’s centered around, does an incredible job of turning mild variations into spectacular joys.

You will find a greater variety of The Bob’s Burgers Movie isn’t always an awkward fit. The film’s feature length makes it a musical. At times the little bits that were on the TV show become full-on musical numbers. There are also more jokes and staging. (There are, unfortunately, fewer songs than expected; the movie has more music, but it’s not a musical.This animation is stunning and crisp. The script maintains its low-key referential nature. This could easily be someone’s first Bob’s Burgers experience, and it remains likable enough throughout that it probably wouldn’t be their last.

Image: 20th Century Studios

It’s hard to levy any serious complaints against The Bob’s Burgers Movie, just as it’s hard to find a truly bad burger. While every burger fan will always have their favorite, it’s rare to find one worth avoiding. The problem is usually with The Bob’s Burgers MovieIt all comes down to one aspect of a great burger: its price. The price is the most important aspect of a truly delicious burger. Bob’s BurgersThis is a fantastic deal! It’s good enough for a movie ticket. Yeah, sure. But there’s no need to splurge if you don’t want to.

The Bob’s Burgers MovieThe film debuts at the theaters May 27.