Based on the Bob's Burgers TV show that's been running since 2011 — and is set to continue in the upcoming season 13 — The Bob's Burgers Movie brings the Belcher family to the big screen for the first time. Directed by series creator Loren Bouchard and the show's supervising director Bernard Derriman, The Bob's Burgers Movie is based on a script written by Bouchard and Nora Smith (Central Park). Bob's Burgers follows in the footsteps of shows like The Simpsons, which got its own big-screen movie, but Bouchard puts an entirely Belcher twist on the form. The Bob's Burgers Movie struggles to keep up the energetic pace set early on, but overall packs in plenty of jokes and musical numbers for a fun time.
The Bob's Burgers Movie finds Bob (H. Jon Benjamin) and Linda Belcher (John Roberts) struggling to make the latest payment on their business loan, but the 80th anniversary celebration at the Wonder Warf promises plenty of burger business. However, when a sinkhole opens up in front of the restaurant, making it difficult to attract customers, Bob and Linda have to get creative in order to make ends meet. Meanwhile, Louise (Kristen Schaal) is on a mission to prove to her classmates she's not a baby and recruits Tina (Dan Mintz) and Gene (Eugene Mirman) to help her solve a murder when a body is discovered in the newly opened sinkhole. The adventure takes them all over their town and digging into the history of Wonder Warf, as well as its owner Calvin Fischoeder (Kevin Kline).
While Bob's Burgers episodes are typically about 20 minutes long, The Bob's Burgers Movie tasks Bouchard with extending the Belcher antics to a standard film runtime of one hour and 42 minutes — for better and for worse. The story of Bob and Linda trying to keep the restaurant afloat while the kids solve a murder is one that could be found in any standard episode of the show, which helps to keep the franchise's spirit alive and well. But even with Bouchard including musical numbers and extended dream/fantasy sequences to pad out the runtime, the story still feels stretched a little thin, and lulls a bit in the middle. Thankfully, there's plenty of Bob's Burgers' typical humor and laugh-out-loud jokes to keep viewers entertained, even if their interest might wane for a bit. Plus, The Bob's Burgers Movie finishes off strong with an exciting final act that does feel like something only a film version of the show could pull off.
For their parts, the characters of The Bob's Burgers Movie are much the same as they are in the show, but that in and of itself presents a problem for Bouchard. Since the characters don't necessarily grow up or change in the way characters should in a movie or dramatic TV show, Bouchard must find a way to develop the Belchers without changing them too much. This comes in the form of Louise's personal journey, which on the surface is to prove she's not a baby, but is in actuality a story of discovering her own inner bravery. Meanwhile, both Tina and Gene are on their own journeys to find courage, though theirs aren't necessarily as neat and tidy as Louise's. Still, it's enough to mask the fact that The Bob's Burgers Movie doesn't take the characters in any real new directions.
Overall, The Bob's Burgers Movie is a delightful big-screen experience for fans of the TV show, who would definitely do well with checking it out. Bouchard has managed to maintain the heart and soul of the TV show while elevating it enough to make it worthwhile to see in a theater. And with all the jokes, it's particularly enjoyable to see The Bob's Burgers Movie in a theater full of people laughing at the Belchers' humor. That said, those who don't already watch Bob's Burgers or who were never won over by the Belchers' mix of sentiment and silliness would be fine skipping this particular release. Even those who watch the show wouldn't necessarily be out of step when the series returns if they miss the movie or wait for its home release. Still, for viewers of the long-running animated sitcom looking for a fun summer movie, or who want more of the Belchers between seasons, The Bob's Burgers Movie is an entertaining romp with the characters fans know and love.
The Bob's Burgers Movie releases in U.S. theaters May 28. It is 102 minutes long and rated PG-13 for rude/suggestive material and language.
