Jim Henson’s Muppets return in all their musical, wisecracking glory 30 years after their eponymous show ended. Gary (Jason Segel), his girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) and his Muppet brother Walter (voiced by Peter Linz) head to Hollywood and rally up Kermit and co. to rescue the abandoned Muppet studios from oil baron Tex Richmond (Chris Cooper). Jack Black is one of many celebrity cameos (in true Muppet fashion)—he’s held captive on stage as the Muppet barbershop quartet croons its amusing rendition of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” It’s not the late ‘70s, and this movie isn’t quite The Muppet Show, but it’s consistently funny, with contagious tunes and a story that’s sweet, yet not off-putting. Jason Segel (a self-proclaimed Muppet fan) and Nicholas Stoller penned numerous self-referential quips poking fun at the franchise’s own sorry state; a surprisingly fresh tactic for Muppet overlord Disney.
This article appears in Nov 24-30, 2011.