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The Simpsons Movie (2007)

Director: David Silverman

Time Out rating

Average user rating

228 reviews

Synopsis

It’s taken 18 years, but 'The Simpsons', the phenomenally successful animated sitcom, has finally made the transition to the big screen.

Movie review

From Time Out London

‘The Simpsons Movie’ opens with an Itchy and Scratchy short that the Simpsons clan turns out to be watching in a movie theatre. Homer is unimpressed: ‘Why would I pay to watch something I can see for free at home?’ It’s a confident gag on the part of the cartoon’s creators; perhaps a little too confident, as it turns out, for although this long-awaited big-screen outing for Springfield’s finest is far from disappointing, it can’t be said to represent the quantum leap from the TV series that fans might have been hoping for either.

We open with business as usual: Homer is lazy and dumb, Bart running wild, Marge concerned and Lisa thumping a worthy tub (specifically environmentalism, with a town hall presentation on the state of Lake Springfield entitled ‘An Irritating Truth’). Homer’s devotion of his limited mental energies to an infatuation with a pig instead of his daughter’s words prompts a catastrophe that places the whole town in existential danger, and the family in the path of its wrath.

The movie offers several risqué touches you wouldn’t get on TV, from Bart’s ‘doodle’ to Homer flipping his fellow citizens the bird, and a level of technical sophistication that outstrips the series, with several set-pieces and action shots that achieve real cinematic impact. Overall, however, too many elements are familiar from the small screen, from the threat to the town and the trajectory of the family’s emotional journey to details like a Native American vision and the effects of pollution on wildlife. The main new characters – a government villain, a love interest for Lisa – feel skimpy too.

The Simpsons’ creators may, however, be the victims of their own success in endowing the original show with a more cinematic sensibility than most TV. ‘The Simpsons Movie’ does not feel at sea on the big screen and, crucially, it is very funny. The cartoon’s trademark sharpness and density of gags easily sustains its running time which, in this summer of bloated blockbusters, is mercifully compact. Some of the best gags revolve around failure to learn from painful mistakes: Homer repeatedly shocking himself on electrified foodstuff, for instance. In other words, as long as it’s funny, there’s nothing wrong with more of the same.

Author: Ben Walters 2007-07-24 13:30:23

Time Out London Issue 1927: July 25-31 2007

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User reviews of this film

Thomas Noctor said...

Posted on Oct 12 2009 19:21 1 word CLASS

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Emmiie said...

Posted on Jun 18 2009 19:19 Freakin hilarious xD

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roflcopter99123123 said...

Posted on Apr 17 2009 12:10 myroflcopter goes soi soi soi soi soi soi roflcopter..............................................................................................................................

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balaj bharaj said...

Posted on Feb 27 2009 19:26 it is so FUNNY

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abc said...

Posted on Oct 13 2008 14:14 Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
dissapointing

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gemma said...

Posted on Aug 03 2008 15:20 The indivdial episodes on T.V were sooooooo much better than the movie. Good movie but i wish i hadn't wasted my money on it.

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Jermain said...

Posted on Mar 14 2008 16:57 Absolutely fantasic. 1,000,000,000/1,000,000,000

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Mr. Kai said...

Posted on Feb 16 2008 05:57 I am a huge simpsons fan, but I think it was a little too
dumbed down for non simpsons fans wich I know you said
in the comentary and respect that, but It could of used an
extra kick for us hardcore fans . Overall it was great though

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Anna said...

Posted on Jan 30 2008 22:18 It was so funny!!! I couldn't stop laughing!!! This is the BEST movie! :)

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Elic B said...

Posted on Jan 04 2008 23:12 Litrally the best movie ever. Im The Sipsons biggest fan and it tottally ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Best ever Movie. I'll rate it 100/100

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georgia said...

Posted on Nov 11 2007 12:11 it was so funny

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tom said...

Posted on Nov 10 2007 09:05 brilliant, I advise anybody who hasn't seen it to do so!

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ellie and george said...

Posted on Nov 10 2007 08:37 we thought it was really good!!!!!give um sum credit

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charlie said...

Posted on Nov 08 2007 09:51 i like very much

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jess said...

Posted on Oct 27 2007 02:43 it wuz awsome iwanna see it ajillion million times!

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