The Muppets

My dear friends, welcome back!  After a twelve year absence, the Muppets are back, and the world is a better place for it. 

While on vacation in LA, Walter, with his brother Gary and Gary’s girlfriend Mary stumble upon a plot by the evil Tex Richman to tear down the old muppet studios and drill for oil.  Gary, Mary and Walter must help Kermit get the Muppets back together to save their studio.

Maybe the Muppets had out lived their usefulness.  Maybe they are too much a product of another era.  Is there a place for their gentle, goofy humor, and total sincerity in this modern, cynical world?  Thankfully, Jason Segel knew the answer to that question was an unqualified YES!  A huge Muppets fan, Segel, with his writing partner Nicolas Stoler, have done a terrific job of bringing the Muppets into the modern age without sacrificing what made them special. 

They did a great job establishing the more innocent tone and sincere sentiment of the Muppets during the opening scenes.  No mention is ever made of the fact that Gary is a human while his brother Walter is a muppet.  It is just accepted.  This is a world where things like that are normal.  The first big musical number, “Life’s a Happy Song”, is done with 100% conviction of the cast.  With this song, a happy smile appeared on my face, and it didn’t leave until well after the movie was over.              

Having the Muppets broken up and out of the limelight for the last decade was a great way to introduce the Muppets to those who don’t remember their earlier films (and TV shows), but also a funny and occasionally moving way to reintroduce them to longtime fans.  I want to take a moment and address some criticism that a small minority have lobbed against the film.  They CLAIM that the characters aren’t true to the Muppets, and they site two examples.  First, they say Kermit would never be living alone in a mansion away from the other Muppets.  He would never have such a defeatist attitude.  The fact is, what was always so great about the Muppets was their wonderful humanity, both virtues and flaws.  Kermit was always the glue holding the group together.  He was the consummate showman, the master of ceremonies.  To have the world forget about them, and just no longer care would be a devastating blow for him.  It is a sad turn of events for Kermit, but a believable one.  He is who he always was, just in a different place.  To have not addressed how the changing world impacted the Muppets, Kermit in particular, would have been a mistake, and sold these wonderful characters short.

Second, Fozzie makes one minor fart joke.  To seriously think employing a whoopee cushion is beyond Fozzie is silly.  Whoopee cushion jokes have, in fact, been made before by the Muppets.

The human cast does a good job keeping up with the Muppets.  Jason Segel as Gary plays his role with complete conviction.  He believes in the world of the Muppets and lets it show in his performance.  Amy Adams has turned sunny into an art form, and is a perfect fit as Mary.  I do wish her role was a little bigger, but she does great with what she has.  Chris Cooper, as the vile Tex Richman, is having a ball playing the villain of the piece.  These are the kind of dramatic roles Cooper gets all the time, and he clearly relishes being able to play it for laughs.

It would be wrong not to talk about the new Muppet to the scene, Walter.  He drives the home the plot and the heart of the film as someone who truly believes in the good the Muppets do the world.  His plucky attitude becomes very endearing, and I look forward to seeing more of him in the future.  He is a welcome addition to the Muppets.

As said before, the writing is spot on.  It captures the voices of the Muppets almost perfectly.  The script also nails the self-referential humor the Muppets are known for (traveling by map, per instance).  James Bobin, creator of Flight of the Concords, generally does of god job of keeping the film moving when he needs to while giving the more quiet moments their time.

The new songs, written by Bret McKenzie (also of Concords fame) are mostly wonderful as well.   Highlights are the afore mentioned opening number, “Man or Muppet” and the surprisingly poignant  “Pictures in my Head.”  Also included are a hilarious Muppet Barbershop quartet cover of “Smells like Teen Spirit” and an all chicken cover of Cee lo Green’s Fuck You, of course, made G-rated by the fact it is sung by clucking chickens.    

The highlight of the film comes during the Muppet’s telethon to save their studio when Kermit sings his big musical number.  I won’t spoil it by telling you what he sings, although Muppet fans should be able to guess what it is.  I will tell you that I doubt I am the only lifelong fan who was fighting back tears during this song.  It brings into focus all the joy, dreams, friendships and decency that the Muppets stand for.  I had planned here to mention the flaws I found in the film, but I just don’t want to anymore.  This is the Muppet film I have been waiting for.  For those new to the Muppets, this film is a lot of fun.  For those of us who have been fans their whole lives, this film is a special treat.

****1/2 (out of *****)