The Simpsons Movie

What can be said about a film made from the longest running cartoon in history? Audiences have been waiting for this film for 17 years and The Simpson Movie delivers an extended view of Springfield’s favorite yellow family. The film suffers a bit from the grand scope of film simply because audiences are so familiar with the Simpson family from the past two decades. It is hard to think of an acceptable plot for the family that doesn’t feel at least in part like a script from yesteryear. But The Simpson Movie is a fun adventure, a mega-episode, that fits comfortably on the big screen and delivers all of Homer and his brood that any affecianado could ask for, and in Bart’s case perhaps more than ever needed.

The Simpsons Movie is exactly what the Simpsons themselves are, funny and irreverent yet wholesome enough to please parents and to earn a PG-13 rating. The film is packed with clever references and current politics from the push for environmentalism to the lingering question of whether the Constitution will be ammended to allow Arnold Schwartzenegger to run for president. There is a big music group and an appearance by a big name celebrity, and everyone in Springfield gets their big close up even if not all of them get any dialogue.

Many will complain that The South Park Movie took the boys from Comedy Central to a bigger and better level from the television show and that there is no such elevation for the Simpsons. A counter to this would be that The Simpsons has always been better written and better produced than South Park and so there was less room for improvement. Truly there were a few epic scenes like the torch wielding crowd and the sight of a post-apocalyptic (post-apigalyptic?) Springfield that were dazzling and animated far beyond the scope of the television show. But in general one feels as Homer states plainly at the beginning of the film ‘Why are you paying money to see this in the theater when you can watch this at home for free?’ Of course you can’t, not for about four months and that is why The Simpsons Movie will do well, very well, at the box office. Considering that the film was hand drawn it still comes across as vibrant and impressive as anything delivered by Pixar.

The Simpsons Movie tells a fairly simple story. Homer acts selfishly and does something stupid and then must make it up to his family and the town through some grand and ludicrous act. The story does it through the use of pig poop which doesn’t seem too big screen, but it all works for an enjoyable film that doesn’t seem like a stretched out television episode. The film is so full of the characters that we all know and love from Springfield that it seems like we don’t get to spend nearly enough time with them. But the film gives the writers the opportunity to take their time getting to Homer’s eventual redeeming act and so there is pleny of time for gags and asides at the expense of everyone from rock stars to the EPA.

Albert Brooks who has appeared in several Simpson episodes in roles from fat camp taskmaster Tab Spangler, to Bond villain and best boss ever Hank Scorpio, to bowling instructor Jacque voices bad guy EPA head Russ Cargill who decides that the way to deal with the poluting city of Springfield is to encase it in a large indestructible dome. This leads to the population of Springfield turning on Homer and his family and the Simpsons are forced to escape the dome and start a new life in Alaska. They then try to redeem themselves by going back to Springfield to save it and its townspeople from government endorsed annihilation.

But the details of the ride are unimportant. By now we know that Homer is a fat lazy selfish bore, that Marge is a nag, Bart is a truant, and Lisa is an environmentalist. The fun of the film is in watching these characters who are as familiar as a favorite pair of slippers chasing across a bigger canvas and expressing all of the hot button issues of the day. The film also takes some liberties with its move to film including a full frontal of the Bartman, berating the audience for paying to watch the movie when the television show is aired for free, and even allowing the family members a mild curse or two.

The Simpsons Movie shows that America’s favorite disfunctional yellow family is bigger and better than every and perfectly capable of holding the attention of audiences for longer than a half an hour.The film is sly and clever and moves quickly and familiarly thorough the town of Springfield like a well maintained monorail. Don’t be disappointed that this film isn’t more than it is, just revel in the fact that The Simpsons has become an institution and that this film pays tribute to their place in popular culture without debasing or weakening itself.The Simpson Movie is a fun ride for a Saturday afternoon and is as repeatedly watcheable as any of the television episodes.