Movie Review: The Simpsons Movie

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By Colin MacLean Jul 27, 2007, 13:48 GMT

Four years in the making. A budget of $70 million. A cast of thousands (and one pig with an overactive lower intestine). There are 11 writers and three producers. And at the centre, the beating heart of America’s best known dysfunctional family.The fanboys will be so pleased. In fact, judging from their reaction on the internet they already are – despite not having seen the film yet.The Simpsons Movie is, at last, with us and the wait is worth it. The plot easily manages the transition to the big screen by keeping intact the essentially simple, strangely guileless cynicism that has kept the series on television for 18 years.What the film demonstrates is that you really need a big screen to encompass Homer’s epic stupidity.The Simpsons Movie works even for those who have been hanging out on the 5th moon of Jupiter for the last couple of decades years and know not the residents of Springfield. The jokes, sassy visual gags, one-liners and pointed social satire fire with Gatling-like rapidity. The producers – James L. Brooks, Al Jean, Mike Scully and Matt Groening – have wisely kept the simple line drawing approach that Groening used on Springfield’s first family when he created them as crude one-minute vignettes on the Tracy Ullman Show two decades ago. Even the big crowd set pieces in the movie (as when an irate mob tries to lynch Homer) remain about as basic as animation can get.The Simpsons brain trust wisely ignores the simple targets of the moment – there’s not a Paris Hilton joke to be seen – to zero in on what they do best, lampoon some big perennial targets.You gotta love a movie that begins by making fun of its own audience for paying good money to see what it can watch at home for free.So, it won’t surprise you that the doughy, fuddled Homer set the whole thing off when he dumps the effluent from his new pet pig into Lake Springfield. It immediately turns toxic and the entire town is quarantined and placed under a huge impenetrable dome by “the least effective agency in the government,” the Environmental Protection Agency, headed by its oily and ambitious chief Russ Cargill (Albert Brooks). Springfield may be in danger of being vaporized while Homer runs off with his family to Alaska. Here Homer, with the help of a local medicine woman undergoes an epiphany where he realizes he must earn the love of his family and return to help his old friends in Springfield.That simple outline does little to mine the comic richness of the film. My favourite moments have the panicked members of the local church exchanging venues with the patrons of a bar, a sequence right out of Austin Powers where a nude Bart skateboards through town with his little willy cunningly hidden by a succession of obstructions and a send-up of the ubiquitous crawl promoting Fox programs at the bottom of your television screen.There are clever burlesques of government (under President Schwarzenegger), Al Gore, TV newsmen, big business, organized religion, Spider-Man and Disney’s lovable furry and feathered creatures. Amidst all that laughter, these crude, basic 2D figures find a moment or two to touch your heart.I could tell you more but let’s let Groenig and his talented posse have their moment.The cast is taken right from the TV series and includes the remarkable talents of Dan Castellaneta (Homer), Julie Kavner (Marge), Nancy Cartwright (Bart), Yardly Smith (Lisa), Harry Shearer (Mr. Burns) and Hank Azaria (as everyone else in the world).And, as usual, at least one major star turns up in a cameo.I don’t think even the most dedicated of fanboys is going to call The Simpsons Movie the best film ever made - or even the best movie of the summer. But it is entertaining and funny in that deceptively simple, brainless way that has made The Simpsons a viewing staple for all those years.

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MikeJul 27th, 2007 - 15:04:53

How can anyone comment without seeng the movie!

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pixeldogmeatJul 27th, 2007 - 17:39:18

saw the movie last night, incredibly witty, nonstop laughter from the audience all night. They fit in everything a simpsons fan would have wanted to see in the movie.

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CarlaJul 28th, 2007 - 19:30:13

The movie was great.......................................................

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RoyJul 29th, 2007 - 14:20:48

Loved it, they made the transition from small screen to big screen poetically. An extremely entertaining ride.

8/10

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LilyJul 29th, 2007 - 20:29:30

The Simpsons Movie was very funny. But to tell you the truth i am getting sick of spider pig and harry plopper. It was funny at first but now its just annoying. The movie was funny but i expected more. At the ending creadits maggie (the baby) says her first word and says there is going to me a sequel, I hope it's better the then this one...

- I give it a 7/10

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To LillyJul 30th, 2007 - 00:06:13

I totally agree.

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The Guy who SAW the Movie!Jul 30th, 2007 - 01:00:39

Some people laughed at some jokes so hard that they had to apologize to everyone else.

Different people laugh at different jokes. As James Brooks says, there's something for everyone to laugh at.

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darecyAug 8th, 2007 - 05:56:36

ThAt......................................................................W aS.......................................................................As UmMmMmMmMmMmM that was the best movie ever ive never thought about a simpsons movie but now its here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Comic book guyNov 24th, 2007 - 16:40:02

Lily, I agree. Fuuny the first time, then it just gets rubbish. They showed far too many jokes in the advert, making my enjoyment a lot less. I expect more. The cartoons are really good and funny and i've seen every episode and can watch them again without getting bored, because they have one thing the movie doesn't really have; a decent STORYLINE! Matt Groening, I'm dissapointed.
Cartoons: 9/10
Movie: 7/10

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