The Muppets

As this movie actually suggests, there is something charmingly dated about Jim Henson's Muppet characters in this day and age of CG animation and special effects. Their warm, non-cynical humor, plush felt bodies, and ping-pong ball eyes make them actually look like they've come from a different and much calmer age. The new movie, The Muppets, openly acknowledges this, and attempts to reintroduce them to adults who grew up on the show (whether during the original run, or syndicated reruns), and introduce them to a new generation of kids.

Reviving a beloved franchise is always a risky proposition, and one I would not wish upon anyone. This time, the task fell to comic actor and writer, Jason Segel, who, as anyone who has seen his film Forgetting Sarah Marshall already knows, holds the Muppet characters near and dear to his heart. Fortunately, he's much better than that. Not only does he love the characters, he understands them, the world they live in, their personalities, and their humor. He and co-writer Nicholas Stoller, along with director James Bobin, have succeeded where past films to keep the Muppet tradition alive after Henson's death failed, in that there are no attempts to modernize the characters with pop culture humor, references and music. (Unlike 1999's dreary Muppets From Space, the last film featuring the characters to hit the screen.) Much like the characters themselves, the movie is charming, old fashioned, and just plain fun.

The plot is the stuff of ancient Hollywood cliches that Henson and his team loved to simultaneously spoof and celebrate back in the day. Segel plays Gary, an ordinary guy who lives in Smalltown, USA, along with his sunny long-time girlfriend, Mary (Amy Adams, who is just as charming here as she was in Enchanted.), and his brother and best friend, Walter (voice by Peter Linz), who just happens to be a Muppet himself. As much as little Walter loves Gary's company, it's never been easy for him being a felt person in a flesh and blood world. That's why he's always idolized the Muppet characters ever since he saw them on TV the first time, and longs to join them so that he can truly fit in somewhere. As the film opens, the three friends are headed off for a long-awaited vacation to L.A., where Walter hopes to visit the Muppet Studios and Theater, and meet his icons. When they arrive, however, they are met by grim news. The world has basically forgotten about the Muppets, the studio itself is in shambles, and a greedy oil tycoon named Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) is plotting to dismantle the whole place so he can drill for oil that's supposedly beneath the studio.

Determined to not let the Muppet name die, Gary, Walter, and Mary track down Kermit the Frog (voice by Steve Whitmire) in his secluded mansion, and tell him what's about to happen to the Muppet Studio. After some hesitation and personal reflection (in a lovely musical number that harkens back to some of the Muppets better melodies), Kermit agrees to join the trio, and they begin traveling the world to track down the other Muppets, so they can get the old group back together, and put on a show to raise money to save the Muppet studio. I liked seeing where the different characters had ended up since going their separate ways, such as Miss Piggy being a fashion magazine editor in Paris, Gonzo being a tycoon in a toilet seat business empire, and Animal being in anger management, with Jack Black as his personal counselor (just one of the film's many cameos).

So yes, it's the old "let's put on a show" formula that Mickey Rooney used to appear in, which is why it's fitting that the veteran actually makes a brief appearance in this movie. But really, the plot fits the Muppet characters, who have always been about charm and simplicity. Charm is one thing this movie has by the bucket-load. It's so warm, sunny, cheerful, and heartfelt, I can't imagine anyone flat-out hating it. What's amazing is how perfectly this movie understands the nature of Henson's classic humor, mixing nostalgic, old-fashioned elements with sharp satire and wit. The cast is equally sharp here, with Segel proving himself to be quite a capable song and dance man as well as a comic, Amy Adams being effortlessly charming, and Chris Cooper obviously relishing his comic villain role, and getting to do something different from the heavy dramas he's usually known for. From the lead stars to the numerous celebrities making cameos, everybody seems to be having a blast here, and it carries through out to the audience.

I wish I could say that The Muppets was a classic along the lines of the best films featuring the characters, but there is one major problem that holds it back from greatness, and that is the fact that the movie frequently comes across as unfocussed in its plotting. Outside of the main plot of saving the theater, there are numerous subplots that compete for our attention, and make the movie feel a little too crowded. There are just too many ideas, plots, and characters to support a 100 minute long movie, so a lot of potentially interesting ideas are either underdeveloped, or not developed at all. Of the ideas that I didn't feel got developed enough, the one I'm most sad about is the plot concerning "The Moopets", a gang of edgy and dark Muppet-wannabes who want to replace the original characters, and give kids the cynical and sarcastic humor that we've come to expect from some modern day entertainment. Just the idea of an edgy and sarcastic Fozzie Bear makes me laugh. Alas, he only gets one line in the film, and the characters themselves are introduced, and then basically forgotten about.

I didn't complain much, though. Everything else about The Muppets is so right, you don't really care when it goes wrong once in a while. I've read some reviews complaining that the movie does not come close to the original genius of Henson and his team. While this is true in some cases, I also think that the current team have their hearts in the right place, and are doing the best job possible to keep the legacy alive. This movie is all about fun, and in that regard, it's a resounding success.

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