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With the release of The Muppets in 2011, a whole new generation of movie lovers were introduced to Jim Henson’s singing, dancing puppets. So now that your kids have fallen in love with Kermit, Piggy, Gonzo, and the rest of the gang, it’s the perfect time to go back and replay some Muppets classics—like 1984’s The Muppets Take Manhattan.
After graduating from college, Kermit and his friends decide to take their wildly successful senior review, Manhattan Melodies, to Broadway. Unfortunately, though, getting a show on Broadway isn’t as easy as they expected it to be, so while the gang splits up, Kermit stays behind, determined to find someone who will take a chance on a bunch of singing, dancing animals.
With a little bit of help from his new friend, Jenny (Juliana Donald), Kermit finally finds a producer for the show. But a freak accident has them scrambling to get the show ready in time.
Like today’s new and updated Muppets movies, The Muppets Take Manhattan is loaded with music, laughs, and celebrity cameos (though many of today’s parents might not recognize personalities like Linda Lavin, Gregory Hines, and Brooke Shields). For the most part, the songs are the infectious kind—from “You Can’t Take No for an Answer” to the classic, “Together Again.” The characters’ adventures are wacky and fun, and the characters are as lovable as ever.
The Muppets are certainly a motley bunch of animals and other weirdos, but their unique personalities make the film an enjoyable adventure. While jokester Fozzie heads off to hibernate, orderly Scooter gets a job in a Cleveland movie theater, and lovesick Piggy stays around to work at a perfume counter (with Joan Rivers) and spy on her beloved frog, Kermit keeps everything grounded (as usual) with his level-headed determination and his irresistible froggy charm.
Admittedly, though, The Muppets Take Manhattan isn’t the Muppets’ best movie. The story feels more like a series of episodes than a single, cohesive work. It meanders from one adventure to another as Kermit & Co. struggle to find a producer together before giving up and going their separate ways, occasionally writing letters to tell Kermit about their new lives. And just when everything seems to be falling into place, Kermit gets amnesia and takes a job in an advertising agency while his friends try to find him back and put on a show.
The film’s conclusion, too, is rather frustrating. After nearly 90 minutes of adventure and laughs, building up to the Muppets’ big moment on Broadway, the sappy closing number is a bit of a downer, ending the film on a low (and slow) note.
Still, both newcomers and long-time fans of the Muppets will enjoy the big-city antics of this classic family comedy. It’s light and entertaining and packed with personality. So if your kids have worn out their copies of the newest Muppet movies, dig up a copy of this old favorite for your next family movie night.
