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Bookmark this pageThe Simpsons Movie (2007)
Director: David Silverman
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
Time Out London Issue 1927: July 25-31 2007
User reviews of this film
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- ...said said said...
- Posted on Aug 19 2007 12:15 Muhhahahahhaha luv it
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- ... said...
- Posted on Aug 19 2007 12:14 It Iz Awesoooommmeee!!! Spiderpig ownz
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- Shannon! said...
- Posted on Aug 19 2007 11:55 i am goin to watch it today carnt waiit!!!!!!!
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- jason said...
- Posted on Aug 17 2007 22:47 What a shame but this film does not bring to the big screen anything close to as funny as the tv series. Recent episodes have been a let down and this film does nothing but drag down the Simpsons and mayby confirms that perhaps there should be new writers or even, dare i say it, an end to a classic before it becomes any more of a strain to watch its demise. In the movie it delivers no more than an occasional laugh but nowhere near the humour, dialogue, charactors or story content that we all love in the tv series. My advice would be to stay away from the cinema for this movie, rent it out and save your money
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- nutmeg said...
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Posted on Aug 17 2007 13:54
hilarious
they are so funny
its been a long wait but its worth it - Report as inappropriate
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- Sue said...
- Posted on Aug 17 2007 11:40 It was funny, but i found it a little slow and the new characters werent as good as the good old ones but it was fun, except my hubby now has spider pig on his mobile and it is driving me nuts!!!
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- apollo said...
- Posted on Aug 16 2007 21:56 i have not seen the film yet and i am going to see it.good luck simpsons.
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- ruby said...
- Posted on Aug 16 2007 11:21 Im gona go and see it today!!! hooray
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- ya mom said...
- Posted on Aug 16 2007 11:01 the simpsons movie is brilliantly funny although the story line isnt the best the comedy is fantastic 9/10 :P
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- Docz said...
- Posted on Aug 16 2007 01:19 Well it wasnt tht funny. it was ok
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- Docz said...
- Posted on Aug 16 2007 01:15 Sick movie Really funny. i can watch it 100 tymz. Get more of simpsoms on Big screens.
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- gothy soph said...
- Posted on Aug 15 2007 17:15 it is a class movie 4 u and ur mates 2 go and see it was class wid ma mate u all should se it
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- princess said...
- Posted on Aug 15 2007 14:05 this movie look relli gd n bout 2 go and watch it wooooooo
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- Brad said...
- Posted on Aug 15 2007 13:39 Ive watched it... what was all the fuss about? i didnt enjoy it at all... it wasnt funny & wasnt entertaining... it was a waste of the film makers money & mine! sorry
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- bellatrix said...
- Posted on Aug 14 2007 19:53 i had high hopes for this film and was very disappointed, the trailers were very funny but i thought those bits were the only funny bits in the film. There weren't enough laughs for a full feature, xxx
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Cast & crew
Director: David Silverman
Producer: James L Brooks, Matt Groening, Al Jean, Mike Scully, Richard Sakai
Genre(s): Comedy
Rated: PG
Duration: 87 mins
UK Release: Jul 25 2007
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