FILM REVIEW: The Muppets

One of the telltale signs of a great film is the potential for staying power. While a lot of modern films are made to make money, entertain, and leave your mind as you walk out of the theatre, there are some that, for whatever reason, stay with you. Whether a movie puts you in a crippling state of shock due to a dramatic ending, or leaves you wanting more due to great storytelling and powerful acting, it’s a good feeling to see a movie that isn’t just a simple waste of time. The Muppets, while by no stretch of the imagination a dramatic or shocking film, is one of the few films that has staying power; and while its only been about 12 hours since I saw the film, I haven’t been able to think of anything else since then.

As I type this review I’m listening to The Muppets soundtrack, singing along in my head while trying to type out a review that doesn’t just say “Muppets Muppets Muppets.” After I saw the film, while trying to say simple sentences I ended up replacing everyday words with “Muppets.” “Can you pass The Muppets, please?” “I’m just going to go get The Muppets.” “I’ll have The Muppets one.” I’m not kidding…these are really things that I said.

So why is this film stuck in my head? Well, for one thing, the songs are just about the catchiest things ever written. Upbeat, clever, and even inspiring, the music in The Muppets is great, and it would be damn near impossible to not be singing the films opening song, “Life’s A Happy Song,” when you leave the theatre after the credits roll. Written and produced by Bret McKenzie (one-half of the amazing Flight of the Conchords duo), along with a lot of the other original songs in the film, this song is easily a lock for Best Original Song at the Oscars, only having to outperform some of the others in the film’s two hour running time. If you’ve ever seen an episode of Flight of the Conchords on HBO, you’ll immediately recognize the songs written by McKenzie and love every second of them. The Muppets would generally be classified as a musical, and though I’m definitely not a fan of musicals, I can’t stress enough how every song in the film was great and how some of them packed a surprising emotional punch while simultaneously moving the film’s plot forward and giving each character a time to shine.

Now, although I’ve always liked The Muppets, I’ve never actually seen an episode of The Muppet Show or watched more than a few minutes of any Muppet movie in the past 30 years. I’ve seen my fair share of YouTube clips, including the great Muppets Bohemian Rhapsody cover, but I never was as Muppet obsessed as some of the people who grew up with them. As a movie reviewer and news writer, I’ve been following and writing about the status of this film since it was announced (and titled “The Greatest Muppet Movie Ever Made”) and have had nothing but positive things to say about it. The talent in front of and behind the camera is immense, with Jason Segel, Amy Adams, and Rashida Jones starring, and Segel and Nicholas Stoller, who both wrote the amazing Forgetting Sarah Marshall, writing. In the directors chair is James Bobbin, who was the co-creator and director of Flight of the Conchords, one of the best comedies of all time. With a cameo list consisting of tons of celebrities, including Jack Black, Alan Arkin, Zach Galifianakis, John Krasinski, Neil Patrick Harris, and many others, there is a lot in this film to like.

There’s something magical about The Muppets, and I think it lies in its distinct lack of Hollywood special-effects magic. The Muppets today are exactly how The Muppets were 40 years ago. There’s no CG, there’s no animated characters; everything is real and firmly planted in a nostalgic vibe that makes the film seem very special. The Muppets really shines with its sense of innocence; it’s a film where Jason Segel can be an adult human who still shares a room with his Muppet brother, all the while constantly having a genuine smile on his face and in a loving relationship of 10 years with Amy Adams. It doesn’t have to be explained or justified; it just is.

Jason Segel’s love for the Muppets really comes through in this film, and it’s easy to see that he had an amazing time being the person responsible for bringing them back into the spotlight. His love manifested itself so much in a way that he wrote a film where the true stars are the Muppets themselves, and Segel and the humans take a backseat to all of the awesomeness that is Kermit and his friends. All of the characters are here, and they’re all as great as they ever were. In the little screen time that the humans do get, the acting is inspired and only helps to sell the movie, from Jason Segel’s happy nice-guy face to Chris Cooper’s portrayal of an evil oil baron, and even to John Krasinski’s one lip-synced “line” during the song in the end credits, it’s clear that everyone involved is happy to be there and loved making the movie as much as fans are going to love watching it.

Where The Muppets sets itself apart from all other films this year is in its ability to be funny, goofy, and still emotionally viable all at the same time. Fozzie Bear’s “fart shoes,” as seen in the trailer, aren’t meant to be funny like a fart joke in a to-be-left-unnamed Adam Sandler movie that came out this month, but rather they are meant to be made fun of in a goofy sense, as even Kermit can’t help but shake his head at the joke’s ridiculousness. The film’s breaking of the fourth wall further pushes the notion that the film isn’t meant to be taken seriously; a reason why so many of its great jokes don’t fall flat. And in-between the humour and charm lays a heartwarming story with some surprisingly emotional scenes from the seemingly expressionless Muppets. While Kermit, being one of the first-made Muppets, doesn’t even have eyelids, there’s a ton to be said in the tone of his voice or even the way he scrunches up his face; and it all helps to make the film a complete package.

All in all, it’s going to be very difficult for someone to not enjoy this film, whether you’re a lifelong fan of The Muppets or have never heard of Kermit before in your life. The Muppets made me care an awful lot about The Muppets, so much so that I want to now watch all of the episodes of The Muppet Show as well as all of the other Muppet movies out there.

As I finish writing my review, The Muppets soundtrack plays the final song, I can’t help but think back to the credits of the film that I saw just a few hours ago and be saddened that it ended. So now what I’ll do is hit replay, start the soundtrack from the first song, and get ready to see the film again.