The Muppets (2011) Review

It's time to start the music, it's time to light the lights, it's time to meet the Muppets. The Muppets are BACK, and it's about damn time too. So many movies geared towards children take advantage of that fact and dole out nothing but pretty colors and funny faces, besides Pixar (with the exception of the Cars franchise) no one else seems to respect their child audience. But the Muppets are here to fix that with a movie that caters more to those of us who grew up watching the Muppet Show and movies while still keeping its core age group in mind. The Muppets is filled with hilarious gags, catchy musical numbers, and a heart felt story that will affect anyone with even the faintest child at heart. If you don't have a big goofy grin plastered across your face throughout the movies run-time you are dead inside.

The Muppets centers around Gary (Jason Segel) and his adopted brother Walter who himself happens to be a Muppet who has grown up in a human world. Together along with Gary's long time girlfriend  Mary (Amy Adams) must get the Muppets back together to raise $10 million to save The Muppets Studio from an oil tycoon by the appropriately villainous name of Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) who wants the oil underneath the now rundown back-lot. If it seems a generic story as any, that cause it is, but the movie is less concerned about a riveting plot then with dishing out non-stop gags that'll leave you in stitches. Moreover this is a film that isn't just pointless gags, it has meaningful things to say, mainly to the younger kids about family, friendship, loyalty, and countless other Saturday morning special messages.

The movie is filled with really inventive and hilarious gags, including tons of self-referential and self-deprecating jokes. Acknowledging elaborate musical numbers and montages as well as movie cliches and visual jokes like traveling by map. Some of the jokes are strictly for an older audience including an 80's robot chauffeur that I thought had the best jokes in the movie. There are also a ton of callbacks to the Muppets previous adventures that a younger audience just wouldn't understand since the last Muppet production was 12 years ago. The movie also breaks the fourth wall, a lot, going as far as addressing the audience directly which may be off-putting to some viewers, but its all in the incredibly good nature of the film.

The music in the film is incredibly fun and foot-tappingly catchy, with a great mix of modern popular music including a completely chicken sung rendition of Cee-Lo's "Fuck You" done entirely in clucks. The Muppet centric music ranges from classics like the Oscar nominated "Rainbow Connection" and new songs that will no doubt become instant classics "Man or Muppet". All the music is fantastic but a quick rap song by the villainous oil magnate played by Chris Cooper is a real standout as its the perfect over-the-top performance the movie thrives on. Stay during the credits for the catchiest song of the bunch, as well as quick re-caps of all the celebrity cameos singing "ManaMana".

The actors in the movie are 100% dedicated to the insane notion of Muppets, and whenever Jason Segel character has a meaningful conversation with his Muppet brother its not weird. The audience buys into it because the actors do. Chris Cooper really shines as a completely over-the-top villain who instead of actually conjuring up an evil laugh, just turns to his associates and plainly says "Maniacal Laugh" repeatedly, its a great joke that in any other movie would have been eye-roll inducing. Amy Adams may be the weakest link but only cause her casting choice is too obvious and when she has her big sing and dance number its predictable. The film like all Muppet related media is filled to the brim with celebrity cameos. Jack Black has a great role in the film giving a legitimately funny performance,  which is a miracle for him, only proving the power of the Muppets.

I cannot stress enough how great The Muppets is, it's unfaltering in its whimsy, so sweet and good natured making that it's disarming. Any reservations you might have had going into the movie fly out the window almost immediately. I refuse to believe somebody would go see this movie and not completely fall in love with the characters the tone or even muster the will to not tap along to the amazing songs. This movie is mandatory to anyone who still has the ability to feel some sense of joy and wonder. The Muppets is the best children's film of the year even if it skews some of its jokes a bit older, its a film that possesses a kind of sweetness and joy that can touch even the most cynical of hearts.

(5 out of 5)