Film Review: The Simpsons Movie

A film over twenty years in the making and THE SIMPSONS MOVIE does not disappoint. Lisa Simpson is trying to clean up Springfield from pollution in the lake and is very successful at first with this endeavor until her father Homer screws up (as usual) causing the whole town of Springfield to become a toxic cesspool. When the government quarantines the town Homer & his family become the scapegoats for the town's problems forcing the Simpson's clan to find an alternate place to call home.

Although the Simpsons escape the confines of Springfield their new life is less then ideal and Marge soon realizes that Springfield is set to be destroyed in order to make way for a new tourist attraction (an alternative to the Grand Canyon). Feeling a kindred spirit with their own home Marge takes her children back in order to find a way to save her town even in the wake of a disillusioned Homer who thinks that there is nothing left in Springfield for him. With his family abandoning him, Homer must decide what is important in his life and just how much he is willing to give up and suffer to be with the ones that truly matter to him (and to save Springfield).

As directed by David Silverman THE SIMPSONS MOVIE successfully translates the thirty minute cartoon into a feature length film with a story that is both funny and heart warming. It's a film that harkens back to the themes of the show that are universal and which have contributed to making the Simpsons one of the greatest and longest running prime time animated shows in television history. It's rare that a television show translates as well to the big screen but THE SIMPSONS MOVIE is one of those gems not soon forgotten.