The Simpsons Movie
3/4
Starring (voices): Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardly Smith, Harry Shearer, Hank Azaria, Albert Brooks
Rated PG-13 for Irreverent Humor Throughout
Ever since appearing on "The Tracey Ullman Show," "The Simpsons" has been a thread in the fabric of American culture. Constantly poking fun at modern family dynamics and American life, it took the show nearly 20 years to make it to the big screen. The film is worthy of the show's reputation.
Springfield is the most polluted city in America. The citizens clean up their act, but the temptation to get free doughnuts overtakes Homer (Castellaneta), and he throws his silo of pig crap into Lake Springfield. As a result, the head of the EPA, a man named Russ Cargill (Brooks) traps the city in a giant dome to protect the rest of the US from the sloppy Springfieldians. The Simpson family escapes through a sinkhole and heads north. But will they grow a heart and go back to try to save the town?
This is really a character study of Homer. Not that anyone can accuse this movie of being deep or dramatic, but it's about the big dim bulb realizing what's important. Castellaneta has voiced the character from inception, and easily slides back into it. Ditto for the other cast members; everyone does their jobs, and there isn't a second that we don't believe that everyone is the character they are playing. Speaking of which, there are so many characters from the show that make appearances--none of which, I might add, interrupt the running time. Nor does the presence of 11 credited screenwriters (and four more consultant writers) make the story less than perfect. The rule of thumb is the more screenwriters a movie has, the more problematic the script is. This is an exception.
The director is neither creator Matt Groening nor mega-producer James L. Brooks. It's David Silverman, a directing and producing vet of the show. Having produced over 200 hundred episodes and directed more than 30 himself, he knows what a Simpsons movie should be and how to get the cast to give it their all. Instead of trying to be a laff riot like "Borat," Silverman elects to make the film more of a softer comedy. It's consistently amusing, but the belly laughs are few. In a way, this is more enjoyable because we get a chance to soak in the characters and spot all the references to the show (of which there are many).
The tone is Silverman's greatest accomplishment. He constantly pokes fun at message movies (Springfieldians sink the Green Day concert barge when they try to spread a message about the environment) and coming of age movies in particular while still crafting a legitimate entry. We laugh at the skewering of the stories conventions while still being involved in it.
You don't have to be a Simpsons fan to enjoy this movie. You may end up getting the urge to watch the show though.
Starring (voices): Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardly Smith, Harry Shearer, Hank Azaria, Albert Brooks
Rated PG-13 for Irreverent Humor Throughout
Ever since appearing on "The Tracey Ullman Show," "The Simpsons" has been a thread in the fabric of American culture. Constantly poking fun at modern family dynamics and American life, it took the show nearly 20 years to make it to the big screen. The film is worthy of the show's reputation.
Springfield is the most polluted city in America. The citizens clean up their act, but the temptation to get free doughnuts overtakes Homer (Castellaneta), and he throws his silo of pig crap into Lake Springfield. As a result, the head of the EPA, a man named Russ Cargill (Brooks) traps the city in a giant dome to protect the rest of the US from the sloppy Springfieldians. The Simpson family escapes through a sinkhole and heads north. But will they grow a heart and go back to try to save the town?
This is really a character study of Homer. Not that anyone can accuse this movie of being deep or dramatic, but it's about the big dim bulb realizing what's important. Castellaneta has voiced the character from inception, and easily slides back into it. Ditto for the other cast members; everyone does their jobs, and there isn't a second that we don't believe that everyone is the character they are playing. Speaking of which, there are so many characters from the show that make appearances--none of which, I might add, interrupt the running time. Nor does the presence of 11 credited screenwriters (and four more consultant writers) make the story less than perfect. The rule of thumb is the more screenwriters a movie has, the more problematic the script is. This is an exception.
The director is neither creator Matt Groening nor mega-producer James L. Brooks. It's David Silverman, a directing and producing vet of the show. Having produced over 200 hundred episodes and directed more than 30 himself, he knows what a Simpsons movie should be and how to get the cast to give it their all. Instead of trying to be a laff riot like "Borat," Silverman elects to make the film more of a softer comedy. It's consistently amusing, but the belly laughs are few. In a way, this is more enjoyable because we get a chance to soak in the characters and spot all the references to the show (of which there are many).
The tone is Silverman's greatest accomplishment. He constantly pokes fun at message movies (Springfieldians sink the Green Day concert barge when they try to spread a message about the environment) and coming of age movies in particular while still crafting a legitimate entry. We laugh at the skewering of the stories conventions while still being involved in it.
You don't have to be a Simpsons fan to enjoy this movie. You may end up getting the urge to watch the show though.
Comments
Post a Comment