Nostalgia is both a powerful and dangerous thing. In the past few years, many shows and movies from the ’70s and ’80s have been revived purely because the studio is hoping that nostalgia will help sell tickets. Not everything that our generation liked as children is still enjoyable as an adult. However, the new film “The Muppets” directed by James Bobin (“Flight of the Conchords”), and written by and starring Jason Segel (“Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” “How I Met Your Mother”) somehow manages to be both nostalgic and legitimately funny without feeling cheap.
It’s been 12 years since the Muppets last appeared on screen in “Muppets From Space,” and the world has pretty much forgotten about them — everyone except for their biggest fans, Gary (Segel) and his brother Walter, who is a puppet himself. Gary and Walter are inseparable, which makes Gary’s long time girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) jealous.
For Gary and Mary’s anniversary, the gang takes a trip to Los Angeles to see the old Muppet Studios, only to find out that it has been boarded up by its new owner, the oil baron, Tex Richman (Chris Cooper), who plans to bulldoze it and dig for oil. Gary, Mary and Walter set out to reunite Kermit and the rest of the Muppets to put on one last show and save the studio.
Jason Segel both stars in the movie and wrote the script, and it is clear that he has a lot of love for the Muppets. The scenes of Walter and Gary watching the old Muppet Show videos seem very autobiographical, and his fondness for the source material shows in the film. All of the Muppets you know and love have time to shine, and even some of the Muppets that haven’t been seen in years make an appearance.
The opening scenes of the film are surprisingly melancholy, showing Kermit, Fozzie Bear and the rest of the gang living in a world where they are no longer famous or relevant. Kermit now lives in a mansion without Miss Piggy, Fozzie lives in an alleyway behind a casino and Animal is in a support group for anger management.
Watching the gang get back together again to put on a show is an absolute joy for anybody who grew up watching “The Muppet Show” or any of the movies. The puppeteers behind these characters are so skilled, it is almost impossible to imagine the characters as anything but actors. The way that they can make Kermit smile, frown or look concerned is amazing, and gives the bundle of fabric and ping-pong ball eyes a life of his own.
The music in the film is written and composed by Bret McKenzie of the HBO series “Flight of the Conchords,” and his history of writing comedy songs is used perfectly here. The opening and closing number “Life’s a Happy Song” is so joyfully catchy, it is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Gary and Walter’s duet “Man or Muppet” is hilarious and heartwarming, and deserves Academy Award attention for best song.
In a dark and cynical world like ours, it is reassuring that a PG -rated puppet musical can still make both children and adults laugh. There is nothing vulgar or mean-spirited about the Muppets, which is rare these days, even for family films. This film doesn’t feel the need to throw in adult humor just so it can appeal to the parents in the audience, they just trust that some things are funny for everybody.
If you had any connection to the Muppets during your childhood, watching Kermit sit down with his banjo one last time to sing “Rainbow Connection” should bring both a tear to your eye and a smile to your face. This world needs the Muppets like a puppet needs a hand, and lucky for us they’re here to stay. Wocka-wocka.
Disclaimer: The Daily 49er is not responsible for Postings made on www.daily49er.wpengine.com. Persons commenting are solely responsible for Postings made on this website. Persons commenting agree to the Terms of Use of the website. If Postings do not abide by the Rules of Conduct or Posting Regulations as listed in the Postings Policy, the Daily 49er has all rights to delete Postings as it deems necessary. The Daily 49er strongly advises individuals to not abuse their First Amendment rights, and to avoid language suggestive of hate speech. This site also encourages users to make Postings relevant to the article or other Postings.
