The Bob's Burgers Movie Reviews Provide A Lot To Chew On
Fans of the animated Fox show "Bob's Burgers" have waited a long, long time to finally see their favorite show make its big-screen debut. The series focuses on the outlandish adventures and workaday lives of Bob Belcher (H. Jon Benjamin), a mustachioed restaurant owner who owns the titular restaurant in a small tourist-trappy town adjacent to the sea. Along for the ride and causing chaos of their own are his loquacious and wine-loving wife, Linda (John Roberts), and their three kids — boy-crazy Tina (Dan Mintz), musical Gene (Eugene Mirman), and tough Louise (Kristen Schaal). Beyond the Belchers, the show sports a host of beloved characters who have become fan favorites over the past 12 (and counting) seasons.
As noted by Variety, "The Bob's Burgers Movie" was announced in October of 2017. It was originally set to come out on July 17, 2020, but Fox repeatedly pushed the release date back in light of the COVID-19 pandemic (per CNet).
Four years is a long time to wait for anything, but those who have been patiently yearning for some king-sized Belcher adventures are about to be rewarded handsomely. "The Bob's Burgers Movie" is finally ready for a May 27 release, and critics are beginning to weigh in as to how well the film manages to transfer the antics of the Belcher family from television to film. Come take a big bite of the reviews we've curated for you and see why the film has a lot for fans of the show to chew on.
Lots of critics love the movie...
First of all, some good news for "Bob's Burgers" fans everywhere: "The Bob's Burger Movie" has generally received positive reviews from critics. At press time, it's sitting at a 93% critical approval score at Rotten Tomatoes, which means it's likely to be certified fresh by the time the movie comes out.
Critics generally professed to enjoying the film's animation, music, and character work. While Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter noted that some of the movie's jokes are creaky, he also praised its complex plot, assured performances by the show's voice actors, and the movie's impressive animation. "Definitely hewing to the 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' philosophy regarding big-screen versions of long-running television shows, 'The Bob's Burger Movie' should well satisfy devotees," he concluded.
The AV Club's Alison Foreman dinged the movie for repeating plots previously explored by the show, but she praised the film for being "a plenty entertaining extension, even if it isn't entirely revelatory."
Keith Watson of Slant Magazine declared: "Unlike its closest cinematic forebear, 'The Simpsons Movie,' 'The Bob's Burgers Movie' doesn't use the wider canvas of a full-length movie to paint a broad satirical portrait of an entire community but rather keeps its focus on the family at its heart," ultimately giving the movie three out of four stars.
Lindsey Bahr of The Associated Press had some kudos for the movie's two musical numbers, saying, "The songs are a study of contradictions: Somehow atonal, catchy, charming and awkward all at once."
...but if you're not a fan it might be slow going
Among the reviews listed on Rotten Tomatoes at press time, one issue was frequently presented: the film's inaccessibility to those who have never seen an episode of "Bob's Burgers."
For example, The Wrap's Alonso Duralde noted that the movie tries so hard to feature appearances from the show's sprawling supporting cast that it neglects a few members of its main cast (namely Bob and Gene). Duralde also expressed confusion about certain story elements which will be familiar to those who like the show, such as Tina's major crush on zombies, while praising the movie's general quality.
Some critics disliked elements of the movie which have proven to be quite popular on the show. Soleil Ho of the San Francisco Chronicle criticized one of the movie's song and dance numbers, and declared that "The sequences — where the characters stare dead-eyed and zombie-like right into the camera while singing original tunes with the melodic coherence of spaghetti — set my fight-or-flight instinct on fire."
Matthew Toomey of ABC Radio Brisbane's The Film Pie unfavorably compared the movie's central mystery with previous plotlines done by the show's Animation Domination lineup mates "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy" and found it lacking, and also said that the movie was not easily understood by non-fans.
Robert Kojder of Flickering Myth noted that the movie's pacing is off, and complained about the film's dull plotting. "The funniest bits are the rare moments that see Bob and Linda trying to find ways to sell burgers through alternative methods since a sinkhole blocks their entrance," he says.
Fans will be able to judge for themselves when "The Bob's Burgers Movie" premieres on May 27.