The Muppets

Anyone looking to resurrect a battered old franchise could learn a healthy pile of lessons from recent reboot The Muppets. It's all here in this charming, sweet, wonderful return that sees the beloved characters on the big screen for the first time in well over a decade. There's genuine passion for the project, great respect for the material, a refreshing reinvigoration of the franchise's creative spirit, and an understanding of the staple themes that leaves enough room for an imaginative update that feels excitingly and importantly modern. That's a whole lot of accomplishments, but the team that made it happen (co-writer and star Jason Segal, co-writer Nicholas Stoller, and director James Bobin) have really outdone themselves here.

This new Muppet movie begins with the story of brothers Gary and Walter, who grew up in Smalltown, U.S.A. and lived the kind of cute and innocent lives that would seem to belong in a 50s sitcom. Gary and Walter are inseparable and continue to be so as they both grow up. Except Walter doesn't actually grow up, at least not physically, because Walter is, well, a Muppet. Or so he appears. Made of felt and standing only a few feet tall, Walter stands out in a crowd because he's unique. And no matter how hard Gary tries to protect him, it soon becomes clear that Walter is just plain different from everyone else. So you can imagine how much Walter's life changed when he first sat down in front of a television (with Gary by his side, of course) and watched an episode of The Muppet Show. It doesn't take long for Walter to become the biggest Muppet fan on the planet.

Flash forward several years and adult Gary (now played by Segal) and adult Walter (still looking the same as ever and voiced by Peter Linz) are going on a trip with Gary's girlfriend Mary (a perfectly cast Amy Adams) to Los Angeles, where Walter dreams of visiting the Muppet studio. In his mind, it's still a bustling place filled with hard-working Muppets and a visit will mean an opportunity to meet his idol Kermit the Frog. But such is not the case and our friendly trio of flesh and felt find only a dilapidated space devoid of the once famous characters. To make matters worse, Walter overhears a conversation between evil oil baron Tex Richman (Chris Cooper, clearly having a blast in a fun role) and his cronies during which Tex explains that he is taking control of the Muppet studio in order to tear it down and unleash the oil that supposedly resides beneath it. The only catch is that the Muppets may reclaim the studio if only they can raise the almost impossible amount of $10 million.

This plot activates a familiar journey that was so well explored in the original Muppet Movie. It's time to get the group back together again and watch as they put on a show that will hopefully raise the necessary money to save their beloved studio. As it did back in the 1979 big screen debut, this approach allows for plenty of character appearances with little gags sprinkled throughout. Everyone has their moment to shine (some far briefer than others in a clear indication of the current Muppet hierarchy) and fans should be pleased that no Muppets are left behind. They're all on display and they're just as sweet and special as ever. The whole concept of the gang being reunited for a grand show feels appropriately Muppet-ish, but it's not what makes this movie stand out as something so distinctly exceptional.

That honour belongs to Walter. It's a bold move by Segal and Stoller and Bobin to introduce a brand new character and try to convince us that he deserves to share the spotlight alongside Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, and Gonzo, but it's a risk that pays off beautifully. And it helps that Walter needs some convincing of his own. He can barely prevent himself from fainting in Kermit's presence early on, so it's a big step for him to actually find a place among Jim Henson's iconic creations. In Walter, this Muppet movie finds its big, beating heart and it gives Walter the space he requires to power the narrative's dramatic engine. Walter is a lovely, lovable creation who isn't just a Muppet super fan; he's someone who considers his entire life validated by the existence of Kermit and co. To Walter, the Muppets represent acceptance and a very unique place in this world.

It's a rather brilliant way to reintroduce us to these fuzzy characters because it creates a reciprocal emotional fulfillment that doubles as warm nostalgia. Walter loves and is loved in return, and through his love, the magic of The Muppets is rediscovered. Walter's triumph as a creature of felt is even additionally significant beyond his own journey, because this is also a story of how the Muppets learn to love themselves again. When Walter, Gary, and Mary first arrive in Los Angeles, they soon discover that the decrepit state of the studio is a reflection of the fractured relationships between the now disparate Muppets. The once inseparable friends and lovers are now scattered souls living as shells of their former selves. Some Muppets are successful, while others are in the pits, but they're all missing something in their lives, something that can only be gained by getting the gang back together again.

The rebirth of Muppet self-respect and the hero's journey of a young man on the verge of realizing his destiny are certainly enough to propel this movie to emotionally fulfilling and ambitiously lofty heights, but Segal, Stoller, and Bobin take their reboot even further and transform the central conflict into a juicy commentary on the state of modern family-friendly entertainment. Without going into too much spoiler-y detail, just know that the Muppets find themselves staring down the barrel of cynicism and that, on top of everything else, this Muppet movie is also about reclaiming a certain type of innocence that is sweet without having to be sour.

The main trio of narrative pursuits (Walter's arc, the overall Muppet arc, and the entertainment commentary) are smartly executed and handled with care, each adding to the moving fun. Only a handful of ill-conceived cameos fall flat. Most of the cameo performers are famous for being funny, but none of them can conjure up even a chuckle when on screen here. It's not quite pointless (there is a point, since it's another tribute to the original Muppet Movie), but it is mostly uninteresting and just plain distracting. Of course, this remains a minor complaint and happily the only area where this delightful movie falters. The rest is sublime.

Having the Muppets back on the big screen is a wonderful thing, but having them resurrected with such well-directed love and passion is overwhelmingly awesome. And even with all of my favourites (I'll always be especially partial to Beaker) together again, I turn my attention to the freshman. From his humble roots in Smalltown (purposely designed to look like a studio backlot in a cute nod to well-meaning artificiality) to the spotlights on the Muppet stage, Walter experiences quite the journey in The Muppets. That the emotional clout of his adventure is mirrored off screen as well as on is an extra pleasure. Walter has to be accepted by us, too, just as he has to be accepted by the Muppets he idolizes. Well, consider yourself Muppet-ized, Walter. You deserve it. You're a glorious creation, a very funny guy, and a fresh addition to a still refreshing group. Your heart beats in tune with the movie and you remind us, as Kermit did so long ago, that flesh and felt aren't so different after all.