Bob’s Burgers has graced our Televisions for Twelve Seasons on Fox and has finally reached the big screen.
The Bob’s Burgers Feature film got hit with many covid delays in its production and release: but it was worth the wait!
The musical film featured all-new songs and the appearance of many beloved characters.
Bob’s Burgers has done many musical episodes (including some two-parter musical episodes), and the movie brought the best aspects of those to the big screen.
By the end of the film, we thought they could have used another one or two musical numbers; but the ones we got were fantastic.
It’s incredible what a bigger budget can do for production, and Bob’s Burgers is no different.
The animation itself provided the most significant difference from the series.
The more streamlined effects and better shadowing made some of the best animations this year, especially with the musical numbers.
The choreography looked very clean and more detailed than any of Bob’s animated choreography we’ve seen in the past.
Also, all the choreography was just fun.
The musical numbers will go down as some of Bob’s Burgers’s best (if only there were more than four).
The best numbers came from the opening song, Sunny Side Up Summer.
The number introduced us to some significant parts of the story while also setting up the characters for the non-Bob fans.
The other numbers, especially Lucky Ducks, also managed to provide some hilarious comedy.
The central mystery proved to be fascinating while also getting a tad chaotic.
Bob and Linda owe the bank money (nothing new), but just as they vow to make a lot of money, a giant sinkhole opens up right in front of the restaurant.
Interestingly enough, the film’s plot got hinted at throughout the most recent season.
In a few episodes of the season, people walking by the restaurant would trip on the sidewalk.
In the film’s opening scenes, the Belchers themselves deal with the messed-up sidewalk.
This leads directly into the sidewalk opening up right in front of the restaurant!
We like that the series tied directly into the film, even if it was something minor that won’t affect much if you don’t watch one.
The movie’s plot took a dark turn when Lousie decided to head into the hole that appeared.
She unlodged a skeleton when trying to climb out, with the teeth falling into her mouth.
This scene grossed us out but also added a brilliant mystery to the typical slice-of-life plot of Bob’s Burgers.
The movie then turned into a whodunnit, even though the case was a Carny’s death six years prior.
The central mystery (and the two plots that circled it) was great, but sadly the B-plots suffered.
Tina dealt with an internal debate on whether or not to ask Jimmy Jr to be her Summer boyfriend, while Gene dealt with people questioning his musical ability.
Tina’s boy-pining plot is a common occurrence on Bob’s Burgers, and we were disappointed to have it be such a big part of her plot in the movie.
Gene’s music subplot has been done before on the show, with him having found a new annoying sound and no one enjoying it.
Luckily those were the minor plots, but they still impacted the quality.
The main storylines directly impacted by the sinkhole were spot-on (and emotionally gorgeous).
Bob and Linda had to figure out how to make enough money not to have their restaurant equipment seized, while Louise dealt with kids bullying her and her bunny ears.
The parents got tasked with trying to save the restaurant, while Louise set out to prove that she’s not a baby.
All three went through major emotional journies, and the film managed to portray them exceptionally well.
There are significant spoilers below this image! Read at your own risk!
The central mystery of the murder went through a list of suspects, all with the same last name: Fischoeder.
Calvin (the landlord) got arrested first, but Louise suspected Felix and ran her investigation.
After much investigating, Lousie figured it out: but it wasn’t a character we knew all too well.
The movie featured the return (as cameos and as more prominent roles) of many guest characters.
Paul Rudd’s Jericho (the imaginary horse), Robert Ben Garnet’s Critter, Gary Cole’s Sgt Bosco, and Jordan Peele’s Fanny appeared in the movie and have been semi-important characters on the show in the past.
But it was the return of the scarcely-seen Grover Fischoeder (voiced by David Wain) who ended up being the culprit.
In a dramatic scene where Bob and Linda’s restaurant-saving efforts clashed with Louis’s investigation, Grover tried to kill them.
While the reveal (and the associated musical number) proved fantastic, we can’t help but be disappointed.
We knew little to nothing about this character going into the film, and most of his backstory was told during the movie.
While this does make it easier for non-show watchers to enjoy the movie, we wish we knew more about him — or that it was a different character.
Even with these flaws, the mystery managed to grab us and did have an immensely satisfying ending (along with some intense scenes along the way).
Things ended well for the Belchers (the show always features the feel-good family values), and they all grew emotionally throughout the 100 minutes.
Despite the need for more musical numbers, the film still impressed us.
And of course, as usual, the voice acting on everyone’s part (especially H. Jon Benjamin’s Bob and Kristen Schaal’s Louise) was terrific.
What do you think, Fanatics? Are you going to check out the Bob’s Burgers Movie in theaters or wait for streaming?
Bob’s Burgers Season 12 of the show just wrapped up, with Bob’s Burgers Season 13 coming later this year!
Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Michael Stack is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
