MOVIE REVIEW: “The Bob’s Burgers Movie” is voiced by H. Jon Benjamin (Archer [TV series], Wet Hot American Summer), Kristen Schaal (Gravity Falls [TV series], Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2), Dan Mintz (Veep [TV series], The Goldbergs [TV series]), John Roberts (Fire Island, Paint it Black), Eugene Mirman (Delocated [TV series], Flight of the Concords [TV series]), Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover, The Lego Batman Movie), David Wain (Kimi, Dog Days), Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda, Last Vegas), Larry Murphy (Fits and Starts, Ugly Americans [TV series]), and Gary Cole (Office Space, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby). It is directed by Loren Bouchard (Central Park [TV series], Home Movies [TV series]) and Bernard Derriman (Allen Gregory [TV series], The Woodlies [TV series]), with Bouchard having written the screenplay with Nora Smith (Central Park [TV series]) and Tony Gennaro.

After a massive sinkhole forms in front of their restaurant, the Belchers must find a way to make profit in order to pay a loan off to the bank, or face foreclosure.

Fox (er, 20th Century Studios) has presented the world with another theatrical picture adapted from one of their all-star animated series. Will “The Bob’s Burgers Movie” match the level of greatness “The Simpsons Movie” presented? Let’s find out…

“Bob’s Burgers” was a big deal when it released in 2011. At least to me. I loved it. The animation, voices, style of humor; it was edgy and hilarious. Such a fun treat as a kid, though I didn’t follow it as strictly as bigger fans have. I watched the entire first season and sporadic episodes littered throughout their eleven-seasons-and-counting run. I’m not privy to its quality of recent years, but when I heard a feature was getting made, I was ecstatic. You don’t see animated TV shows getting their own theatrical feature. It’s gotta have enough legs to get moviegoers into the theaters. This one dropped in May, and from what I observed as a movie theater employee, it didn’t do as stupendous as it could’ve financially (I’d blame that on “Top Gun: Maverick”). Now, many months later, I have finally sat down to see how it faired in terms of quality.

For those who are fans of the series, this is a real treat. Automatically, you’ll feel right at home. The animation is flawless, with new 3D incorporated elements to give more depth to the world and add a little pizzazz to various sequences. The voice acting is what you would expect, with everyone bringing their A-game and offering great laughs in both voice and comedic timing. Bob (Benjamin) and Tina (Mintz) are my favorites, both of whom having some funny moments throughout the story. We get to see some growth in the characters, as certain elements of this series’ background are newly explored/developed: Tina’s further romance with Jimmy Jr., the history behind the dock park next to the Belchers’ residence, and what is underneath Louise’s (Schaal) bunny ears. Whether or not any of these are rehashed, I have no idea. Having not seen every episode, I can’t really give a good assessment. From what I can gather of fans’ reactions, there are definitely retreaded arcs and ideas (more importantly, the kids trying to help the parents by going off on a “Goonies” adventure).

From start to finish, this movie’s main goal is to entertain, and that it does. While the mystery behind the dead body in the sinkhole Louise finds is cool to see unravel, what I am mainly invested in are the jokes and character reprisals. Also, the music. Oddly enough, a lot of reviews bashed on this film for taking a more musical approach, but “Bob’s Burgers” has grown to be a more musical series anyway. Incorporating that into this feature gave it an added layer of fun that I gladly ate up. The songs aren’t necessarily iconic, but they are jumpy beats sung whimsically by the cast. I also enjoyed the main theme that played during the credits as well as the opening (“Sunny Side Up Summer”). It harkens to the classic “Bob’s Burgers” style beautifully.

When it comes to story, I’d say that Bouchard and his team did fairly well. Much like “The Simpsons Movie,” you have an outrageous external conflict that forces the characters to work out internal issues through family. The Belchers are a colorful array of individuals, and seeing them work together (or separated I should say, for the majority of this picture) is both expected and heartwarming. I liked Louise’s arc the most, as it was more realised than the rest. Her internal struggle of feeling like a baby and not courageous offered great set-ups and pay-offs. Everyone else had solid moments too, though not as much depth. Should I expect that from a comedic series? Not really.

The stakes are typically raised when a series is given a film. You desire a grander story and conflict that forces big change out of the characters. And while “The Bob’s Burgers Movie” is fun, it definitely operates as a more elongated episode than a feature. Aside from the more polished animation, there isn’t much here to give the feeling of “theatrical,” though I wonder if that causes as much hinderance as most reviewers would testify. I enjoyed it despite it not being as grandiose as I would’ve wanted. It’s a nice story with solid humor and plenty of heart to make a fan like me smile. FINAL SCORE: 83%= Juicy Popcorn

Here is the trailer: