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| Courtesy of 20th century fox |
 Road tripping: The Simpsons family head north to Alaska in their car in "The Simpsons Movie." |
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They finally did it. "Simpsons" creator Matt Groening finally got the lovable Fox family to the big screen for a feature film after 2 million television episodes.
The question is: Does the "The Simpsons Movie" do the show's ongoing legacy justice?
The answer is not a simple "yes" or "no." For me, it is more of a "yes, but ..."
Yes, the movie holds its own and does nothing to tarnish the marvelous body of work the show has produced over the past 18 seasons. But was it really worth my 10 hard-earned buckaroos?
On the one hand, it was an hour and a half of commercial-free "Simpsons." Good luck getting that anywhere but the movie theater. Well, I suppose you could get it on DVD as well, but that's beside the point.
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Movie Review
'The Simpsons Movie'
Rating: ★★★
Starring: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Harry Shearer and Hank Azaria.
Director: David Silverman.
Parent's guide: PG-13.
Running time: 1 hour, 27 mins.
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The writers (and there are several, check out the credits) are in top form, and the jokes are cleverly subtle as always. Tom Hanks has a great cameo, something the show has always done a good job with. President Schwarzenegger is perfect, explaining at one point he is there to "lead, not to read."
Plus, Homer's inevitable foul-ups lead to the family fleeing to Alaska!
If there's a more specific excuse for Juneau residents to flock to the 20th Century Twin downtown, I'd like to see it. Who else is going to get the joke when Homer is handed $1,000 just for entering the state? Alas, the family must eventually return to Springfield to save it from annihilation, but still - they go to Alaska! For some reason I believe it's important to mention that emphatically.
Also, the Simpsonizeme.com Web site is really cool. Just FYI.
On the other hand, "The Simpsons Movie" doesn't exactly get you laughing uncontrollably at any point. I saw some local Los Angeles TV dude reviewing the movie say he didn't laugh out loud once (he also admitted to never having seen an episode, so take that for what it's worth). I won't go that far. Homer being Homer is enough for several giggles at the very least.
For me, I'm afraid another Fox family (the Griffins of "Family Guy") sort of ruined "The Simpsons." As a college buddy recently pointed out to me, "Family Guy" is so edgy that "The Simpsons" seem downright vanilla.
Still, if you enjoy the humor on TV you will appreciate it on the big screen. I also found myself wondering why Apu was basically ignored, wanting more of the battley-diddily between Homer and Flanders, missing Sideshow Bob, and feeling just a little bit uncomfortable during Homer's exile when Marge leaves him "for good." I didn't want to be the only sucker in the theater moved to tears by Homer Simpson of all people. It was touch and go for a few moments though. When Marge takes the kids and abandons Homer in our great state, she leaves him a taped message telling him she knows it's for good because she taped the message over their wedding video.
Are you crying? Yeah, me neither, but barely!
Needless to say, Homer snaps out of his funk and winds up saving Springfield and his marriage.
It's hard not to enjoy "The Simpsons Movie." Still, I can't seem to get rid of the image of what Homer says to us in the opening seconds: "Why would anyone pay for something they can get for free?" He goes so far as to point directly at me and call me a sucker!
Yeah, maybe. But at least I'm a satisfied sucker.
