The Bob’s Burgers Movie – A Strong Animated Adaptation

Besides The Simpsons and Family Guy, there is another popular long-running animated series on television that also has a legion of fans behind it and that is Bob’s Burgers. Running for 13 seasons and 237 episodes so far, the exploits of the Belcher family and their patriarch, Bob. Their iconic burger restaurant has been a pillar of the community, attracting a following of loyal patrons. The cooky cast of characters aside, the heart of the series is that family dynamic. As far as the first animated feature adaptation of the series is concerned, The Bob’s Burgers Movie is no different. With any adaptation of a television property, a common question will surely regard its accessibility. For those with limited familiarity with the animated series for which this reviewer would fall under, this film still delivers an enjoyable watch guided by that heart which is the Belchers who were front and center. That being said, the expansion of the series into a feature film will inevitably not work for everyone, perhaps diluting the essence of the original series for some, but that’s okay. 

The Bob’s Burgers Movie saw the Belcher’s livelihood in jeopardy as a result of some financial hardship on the verge of summer. However, this would only be the beginning for them. Having to come up with money to make a bank loan payment within a short period of time, many more hardships soon followed for not only Bob (Benjamin) and Linda Belcher (Roberts) but also their children, Tina (Mintz), Gene (Mirman), and Louise (Schaal). While the parents and children had their own paths, each was a blast to watch. As Bob and Linda looked to protect their family and livelihood, things just got harder for them when it came to making the money they needed to cover not only their bank loan payment but also their rent. A sinkhole forming right outside their restaurant forced them to be creative in attracting customers. Whether or not they would make it wasn’t necessarily a sure thing as they found themselves part of a murder investigation on top of everything else. 

Meanwhile, the Belcher children were no passengers by any means. Though their school was coming to an end and they were getting ready for their respective summer vacations and respective hopes and dreams for the upcoming season, they were very much in tune to what was happening around them. Stepping up and wanting to help, they’d conduct their own murder investigation in order to save their restaurant. Both sides of that coin were ultimately at play here, giving Tina, Gene, and Louise some extra motivation moving forward. Their contrasting personalities made for a compelling and often hilarious dynamic as they zinged and quipped each other but all of that came from a place of love. The three’s investigation took some fun turns and some tense ones as they were the only ones who truly got anywhere compared to the local police’s so-called investigation. 

All that character groundwork done during the first two thirds of the film paid off during its final third as all those pieces came together for a thrilling climax that put the Belcher family dynamic to the test where they needed to work together to survive. Despite the predictable ending, the sheer fun of The Bob’s Burgers Movie made it easy to overlook this. What made it so fun was a strong script which put the Belcher family at the forefront to great effect, giving each member plenty of moments to shine. Going even further, the film features some entertaining musical numbers. In the end, none of it would have worked nearly as well if not for its performances. The original voice cast from the original series all return for the film and they unsurprisingly deliver superb performances across the board even with the addition of those musical numbers. 

At the end of the day, The Bob’s Burgers Movie is a strong and heartwarming animated feature that stands on its own.

still courtesy of 20th Century Studios

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.