This new Muppets film is quite different from the Christmas Carol or Treasure Island adaptations we became used to in the nineties, wonderful though those were. It’s a post-modern take on the children’s film that also manages to go back to the group’s roots.
As the film opens, the Muppets have been largely forgotten by the public and have gone their separate ways – in this reality it seems as if The Muppets Show was their only success, and that finished in 1981. When an evil oil baron (Chris Cooper) threatens to take over their old theatre, they must put on a benefit show to stop him. Their biggest fans, Gary (Jason Segal, who also wrote the script), Mary (the wonderful Amy Adams) and Walter (a Fabricated American, to use the Greg the Bunny terminology), are ready to help.
This uber-hackneyed storyline – used in everything from The Blues Brothers to Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo – is played openly as a cliche. It’s just a McGuffin for all the fun, and there is a lot of fun to be had. Movie tropes are skewered in surreal fashion, there are great cameos at every turn, and the songs are weird, joyous creations (from The Flight of the Conchords’ Bret McKenzie).
Adults who can remember The Muppets Show will be happy to see all the old gang back together again. And I mean “all”, as some quite minor characters are featured heavily. Sadly my first Muppet experience was Muppet Babies during Going Live (I know, weep for those in their late twenties), so a lot of this went over my head. My only other minor gripe is that there isn’t enough Kermit and Miss Piggy, who seem to be slightly on the sidelines while Gary, Walter and Mary take centre stage. You can’t keep a good frog or pig down, though, and their charisma shines through.
Muppets make people smile, and when combined with comedy talent like this, they make people smile from ear to ear.
2 comments:
Well the McGuffin reference went over my head. I had to look it up but now I've learned something new.
You're full of surprises Miss A. I didn't think you'd be a fan of this. I enjoyed the review. I like Amy Adams too. She's very versatile but annoyingly underrated.
I remember the Muppet Babies very well from their Going Live days with 'Rose' from the Golden Girls doing the mysterious nanny's voice. However I do think the actual Muppets were shown when we were little on BBC although it was mostly before our time. And there were those who did the odd cameo in Sesame St such as Kermit.
Shalom x
I love the Muppets! Except not scary Muppets, like in Labyrinth or the Storyteller.
I don't think it was Rose from the Golden Girls doing the voice. Imdb says it was Barbara Billingsley, who seems to have been the mother in Leave It To Beaver (one of those series I only know about from references in Roseanne and Cheers).
I must have missed the repeats of The Muppet Show, but I of course remember Kermit being a reporter on Sesame Street! He was very good at it. Another one of his many talents.
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