‘The Bob’s Burgers Movie’ Is a Perfect Summer Kickoff

There’s not a show quite like Bob’s Burgers out there, so it’s no shock that a movie about the Belcher family is just as unique. Set right before the summer when Bob, Linda, and their three children are trying to keep the restaurant from closing, the movie leaves the Belcher family with a simple choice: illegally sell burgers or solve a murder. Obviously, they do both, but not that Bob or Linda is aware of.

The musical movie (yes, it’s a musical) takes us into the mystery of a body found in the sinkhole in front of the restaurant. While Linda and Bob are trying to make enough money to pay off their bank loan (after giving a burger to the banker doesn’t work), the two are focused on how to get foot traffic into the restaurant while the kids are more concerned with … well, the dead body.

No, not everyone is a great singer, but that’s kind of the point. Linda isn’t the best singer, but that doesn’t stop her during the show, and that energy carries into the movie with the all-star cast from the series we know and love. H. Jon Benjamin is back as Bob Belcher with John Roberts as Linda, Kristen Schaal as Louise, Dan Mintz as Tina, and Eugene Mirman as Gene, and together, they’re the Belcher family that I would probably die for—especially my girl Tina.

In typical Bob’s Burgers fashion, what could be some silly little throwaway moment is actually a deeper arc for its characters. Louise is trying to be brave, Tina is trying to figure out if she wants Jimmy Jr. as her “summer boyfriend,” and Gene is just … well, Gene. He’s along for the ride.

Why we love Bob’s Burgers

I’ll admit, I’m not a fan of cartoons. I’ve never really been into them, but there’s something about Bob’s Burgers that I instantly clung to, and this movie is a beautiful example of why we love the Belcher family. They’re a mess. At one point, Tina is screaming about carousel horses, and it is one of the most relatable things she’s ever done—and let’s be honest, Tina is always relatable.

But the movie just feels like an extended episode in the best of ways. It doesn’t drag or ever feel like this could have just been an episode. It worked as a movie and will, hopefully, bring more audience members into the show. You don’t have to be a huge fan of Bob’s Burgers to get the movie. It’s pretty straightforward. A man is trying to protect his restaurant and keep his family in their home, and his wife is helping him do that while his kids are doing the same thing in their own way.

It’s a story about family, this weird town, mystery, and juicy burgers, sexy burgers. You won’t want to miss The Bob’s Burger Movie because having our favorite family sing at us while trying to keep their heads above water is the gift that just keeps on giving, and also, watching Teddy try to save the restaurant is pretty funny, too.

(featured image: 20th Century Studios)