The Simpsons Movie

I don’t know what people were expecting from The Simpsons Movie. Were they hoping for the Citizen Kane of animated movies? Or The Godfather of animated movies? Were they expecting jaw surgery from laughing so hard? Were they expecting to see a story so brilliant that it would be discussed and taught in schools for years to come? I wasn’t. The Simpsons Movie was meant to be an episode that was too big to fit on the small screen. The movie should be able to please long-time fans with various inside jokes while being stand-alone enough to attract new people. The animation should look sleeker, the emotion should be deeper and the language a little saltier. The Simpsons Movie does all of this. I left the theatre satisfied. I laughed, I choked up, and I got annoyed when a couple people in the crowd said it sucked.

I know I shouldn’t spend time explaining things to those who disagree with me. It seems like a waste of breath, but I’ve been a fan of The Simpsons since they first started on The Tracey Ullman Show. I have seen every episode. I did a school report on The Simpsons in Grade 9 explaining how this irreverent show was the most groundbreaking thing on television. It bothers me when some critics write off The Simpsons by saying that their long running series is already dead in the water. It’s easy to say that the episodes are not as funny and original as the season four heyday, but I have a hard time believing that these critics have watched anything from season eighteen. They must have missed The Haw-Hawed Couple, Springfield Up, Yokel Chords, Crook & Ladder and 24 Minutes to say that The Simpsons have lost it. It bothers me when The Simpsons Movie gets compared to the genius of the South Park film. Bigger, Longer and Uncut was made after two seasons and 35 episodes of the series. It was still fresh. Just imagine if The Simpsons made a movie after season three like they intended to do with Kamp Krusty.
It also bothers me when they say the story of The Simpsons Movie wasn’t original enough. Sure, it borrows elements from previous episodes, but you try writing four-hundred stories and then come up with something earth-shattering and mind-blowing. The fact that eleven screenwriters were able to come up with a cohesive story at all is simply amazing. I know there aren’t that many people who hate this movie, but I had to get these things off my chest. Now onto the rest of the review.

The Simpsons Movie made me laugh pretty hard. Ralf Wiggum’s one liner is classic. The changed identities works like a charm. And even though it has been overused in the recent ad campaigns, Spider-Pig is still funny. I found myself laughing and chuckling consistently, much like I do when watching an episode. The film takes shots at politics, the environment and hot-button issues just like it always does. The movie also shows some stuff that they would never get away with on network television. But what surprised me most was the heart found in the story. We have seen this family torn apart and brought back together many times over their seventeen-year history, but Marge’s heart-felt speech was actually moving. Showing this emotional side keeps us rooting for these characters and grounds the entire story. A show like Family Guy would have ruined the speech by adding a fart at the end or saying, “which reminds me of the time . . .” and then break into some non-sequitur parody of an old eighties sitcom. The Simpsons Movie has its seemingly random moments, but there are many elements that get paid off at the end. If you are a Simpsons fan or even a first-timer, I think you’ll appreciate what this movie has to offer.

So should you see it on the big screen? As it is said in the movie, why would you pay for something that you can see for free at home? I would say, give the creators of The Simpsons their due. See this movie as a tribute. It's crazy, I currently teach students who have never known the world to be without The Simpsons. This show changed the face of television and deserves some of your money. They have earned it. They have entertained us for over seventeen years and don’t plan to stop any time soon. Enjoy the fruits of their labour on the big screen. I know I’m going to see it again. And as I watch, I’ll be thinking about the same thing that is said in the closing credits. Sequel?