Official Movie Website Theatrical Release 11/23/2011 Home Video Not Available MPAA Rating Rated PG for some mild rude humor Running Time 120 Minutes Genre Family, Comedy Director James Bobin Writer Jason Segel, Nicholas Stoller Cast Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, Rashida Jones, Alan Arkin, Jack Black, Billy Crystal, Zach Galifianakis, Kathy Griffin, Ricky Gervais, Emily Blunt Studio Wal Disney Pictures |
THE MUPPETS (2011)
SYNOPSIS
On vacation in Los Angeles, Walter, the world's biggest
Muppet fan, and his friends Gary (Jason Segel) and
Mary (Amy Adams) from Smalltown, USA, discover the
nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to
raze the Muppet Theater and drill for the oil recently
discovered beneath the Muppets' former stomping
grounds. To stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever
and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater,
Walter, Mary and Gary help Kermit reunite the Muppets,
who have all gone their separate ways: Fozzie now
performs with a Reno casino tribute band called the
Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at
Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for
anger management, and Gonzo is a high-powered
plumbing magnate. -- (C) Walt Disney
On vacation in Los Angeles, Walter, the world's biggest
Muppet fan, and his friends Gary (Jason Segel) and
Mary (Amy Adams) from Smalltown, USA, discover the
nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to
raze the Muppet Theater and drill for the oil recently
discovered beneath the Muppets' former stomping
grounds. To stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever
and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater,
Walter, Mary and Gary help Kermit reunite the Muppets,
who have all gone their separate ways: Fozzie now
performs with a Reno casino tribute band called the
Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at
Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for
anger management, and Gonzo is a high-powered
plumbing magnate. -- (C) Walt Disney
© 2003 St. Louis Movie Review Weekly. All rights reserved, except where indicated.
All movie titles, pictures, etc...are the property of their respective studios.
All movie titles, pictures, etc...are the property of their respective studios.
| ST. LOUIS MOVIE REVIEW WEEKLY |
Jason Segal writer of the hilarious Forgetting Sarah Marshall teams up with Nicholas Stoller the
director of Forgetting Sarah Marshall to bring back to the big screen the nostalgic 1970’s hit The
Muppet Show. Creator Jim Henson ran The Muppet Show for five seasons with a variety of celebrity
hosts, two spin off shows and several movies. For those in the audience who lived during the prime
Muppet days this flick is sure to evoke happy childhood memories; however, for those who were born
after 1981 this movie may seem a little ridiculous and irrelevant. Children who are a fan of musicals
will find this movie charming and everyone with definitely enjoy Kermit’s rainbow connection rendition.
The storyline is weak and slightly corny. If you are going to create a new Muppet, Walter who is Gary’s
(played by Segal) Muppet brother he definitely should be more exciting and relevant to today’s youth.
The talented Amy Adams plays Gary’s love interest, Mary who simply yearns for Gary’s undivided
attention but has to continually share it with Walter. This causes her to break out into an occasional
song true to The Muppet Show forum; unfortunately these songs were not as enchanting as her
previous work in Disney’s Enchanted. Jack Black, who played himself, was humorous as the angry
kidnapped host; however, he does not offer the same banter with the Muppets as the celebrity hosts in
the past. It was obvious that the guest cameo’s roles were chosen wisely to stir emotions in the
variety of ages in the audiences played by comedians Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong, Sarah Silverman,
Emily Blunt, Whoopi Goldberg, John Krasinski, MickeyRooney, Neil Patrick Harris, Rashida Jones, and
child actors Selena Gomez and Rico Rodriquez. This movie will surely remind adults of their former
youth and of times spent in front of “the tube”; however, Segal proved that, as brilliant as he may be, he
is no Jim Henson.
director of Forgetting Sarah Marshall to bring back to the big screen the nostalgic 1970’s hit The
Muppet Show. Creator Jim Henson ran The Muppet Show for five seasons with a variety of celebrity
hosts, two spin off shows and several movies. For those in the audience who lived during the prime
Muppet days this flick is sure to evoke happy childhood memories; however, for those who were born
after 1981 this movie may seem a little ridiculous and irrelevant. Children who are a fan of musicals
will find this movie charming and everyone with definitely enjoy Kermit’s rainbow connection rendition.
The storyline is weak and slightly corny. If you are going to create a new Muppet, Walter who is Gary’s
(played by Segal) Muppet brother he definitely should be more exciting and relevant to today’s youth.
The talented Amy Adams plays Gary’s love interest, Mary who simply yearns for Gary’s undivided
attention but has to continually share it with Walter. This causes her to break out into an occasional
song true to The Muppet Show forum; unfortunately these songs were not as enchanting as her
previous work in Disney’s Enchanted. Jack Black, who played himself, was humorous as the angry
kidnapped host; however, he does not offer the same banter with the Muppets as the celebrity hosts in
the past. It was obvious that the guest cameo’s roles were chosen wisely to stir emotions in the
variety of ages in the audiences played by comedians Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong, Sarah Silverman,
Emily Blunt, Whoopi Goldberg, John Krasinski, MickeyRooney, Neil Patrick Harris, Rashida Jones, and
child actors Selena Gomez and Rico Rodriquez. This movie will surely remind adults of their former
youth and of times spent in front of “the tube”; however, Segal proved that, as brilliant as he may be, he
is no Jim Henson.
By Brenda S. Ladd
