PRINTMovie Review: The Muppets
Join Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo and more as the felt friends make their Hollywood comeback
Photo courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes
The Muppets are back to save their beloved studio.
November 23, 2011 | 7:31 p.m. CST
After a six-year hiatus, the Muppets are back, and now with Jason Segel’s sense of humor, they show that America’s favorite puppets still have their groove.
Set in Smalltown, U.S.A., Gary (Jason Segel) and his felt brother, Walter, are living the idyllic suburban life. Things change for Walter when he discovers the The Muppet Show, and he quickly becomes an obsessed fan. So when Gary and his girlfriend, Mary (Amy Adams), decide to visit Los Angeles, Walter tags along to visit the famous Muppet Studios. Once there, he discovers the studios are rundown and an evil oil tycoon, Tex Richman (Chris Cooper), plans to dig for oil there, under the guise of creating a Muppet Museum. Walter and Gary quickly realize they need to find Kermit the Frog so they can raise $10 million to save the studios. Under the green frog’s control, the brothers round up the whole Muppet crew to put together a show to rescue the theater.
Related MovieUnder the mask of a children’s film, The Muppets’ ironic humor is primarily geared toward adults. In fact, it is the humor that makes this Muppet comeback so enjoyable. The jokes range from Kermit calling Jimmy Carter and asking him to be a celebrity host for the show and an ’80s robot offering Gary and Walter the soft drink, Tab. Segel, who also wrote Get Him to the Greek and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, helps keep this troupe fresh and modern, especially with 18 celeb cameos, including Selena Gomez, Jack Black and Whoopi Goldberg.
The film also hosts six new songs. Although they are charming additions to the movie, the only songs that actually stand out are Chris Cooper’s rap (yes, that happens) and Segel’s hilarious duo with Walter, “Man or Muppet.” Despite her success in the Disney film Enchanted, Adam’s ballads are fairly boring compared to the rest of the film.
Although the road to the Muppet’s show is one laugh after another, the actual performance itself is more sweet than funny. The film loses some steam toward the end, yet, it redeems itself with a touching conclusion.
Just as the Muppets revive their fame in this film, they have also reclaimed their place as America’s favorite puppets. So whether a fan or not, The Muppets is a delightful addition to the holidays.
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