The Simpsons Movie (2007)
Director: David Silverman
Screenwriters: James L Brooks, Matt Groening, Al Jean, Ian Maxtone-Graham, George Meyer, David Mirkin, Mike Reiss, Mike Scully, Matt Selman, John Swartzwelder, Jon Vitti
Starring: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Pamela Hayden, Tress MacNeille, Albert Brooks, Russi Taylor
Plot: Following an escapade involving a pet pig, Homer inadvertently leads to Springfield’s incarceration under a glass dome. Exiled by the town and eventually his own family, Homer is determined to redeem himself by stopping the EPA from destroying Springfield.
We can’t talk about The Simpsons Movie without discussing the most memorable element in the film: Spider-Pig. Both the breakout star and the catalyst of the film’s events, Spider-Pig is a Homer caper of Simpsons long gone by. It was a strong starting point and involved heavily in the film’s marketing. Almost as though anything with the pig’s hoof-prints on was in the world of the film, and not the world of the series.
The real storyline of the film revolves around the dynamic between Homer and Marge. Marge has misgivings about the pig from the start – rightly so – and continues to be the voice of reason to an ever increasingly ridiculous Homer. Their relationship anchors the film in reality and relatability, as it does in most of the episodes of the series. The film also focuses on Homer and Bart; particularly their father-son dynamic. Bart calls Flanders a better father-figure than Homer (which is probably accurate) following a naked stunt (and some nudity!). Elsewhere Lisa gets another boyfriend – this one an Irish eco-warrior. It’s all very relatable Simpsons content which is probably a good idea when translating to the big screen.
The Simpsons Movie polarized opinion greatly. From those who tuned back into the family’s antics following the irreverence of the film, to those who called for the series’ cancellation, many factors were involved in whether or not you enjoyed the film. Maybe the pressure was too great and the passable feature was derided because it didn’t eclipse the pedestal that the Simpsons of the monorail days had been placed upon. As the years roll by, there is no doubt that The Simpsons Movie remains one of the key pieces of The Simpsons post-2000 that is worth viewing and will no doubt be as topical and timeless for many, many decades to come.
15/24
Written by James Cullen
