The Muppets (2011)

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Overview:

Written by and starring Jason Segel, The Muppets is a musical and comedy marking the first theatrical release in 12 years of any movie to feature the Muppets. We follow the new Muppet Walter, played by Peter Linz, who has grown up loving the Muppets and is given the opportunity to visit the Muppet Studios with his brother Gary, played by Segal, and Mary, played by Amy Adams and Gary's girlfriend. The visit sets off a series of events to reunite the Muppets and to raise enough money to get their studio back.

Plot:

Walter lives with his older brother Gary in Smalltown. Throughout his life, Walter, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he is a Muppet, feels insignificant and small. One night, Walter and Gary (who is a human) are watching television and The Muppet Show comes on. Walter falls in love with the show, and is thrilled to be able to tag along with Gary and his girlfriend Mary's anniversary to Los Angeles, where they will celebrate and Walter can visit the Muppet Theater. Mary, however, feels that Gary and Walter's close relationship is coming between herself and Gary.

Arriving in Los Angeles, the trio find that the Theater has been closed down. Entering the equally derelict theme park, Walter sneaks into Kermit the Frog's old office just in time to secretly witness Statler and Waldorf selling the theater to the oil tycoon Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) and his henchmen Bobo and Uncle Deadly. Continuing to eavesdrop, Walter hears Richman describe to his cohorts that the contract they just signed (the very same Standard Rich and Famous Contract given to the Muppets by Lew Lord at the end of The Muppet Movie) says that the Muppets can buy back the theater if they can raise $10 million. Once the contract expires, Richman will bulldoze the Theater and drill for oil.

Sneaking into Kermit's old mansion, Gary and Walter desperately try to convince Kermit to get the gang back together for one more show so they can raise the money and reclaim the theater. Kermit realizes how much he misses his old friends, and especially Miss Piggy, and agrees to get the Muppets back together. Their first stop is Reno, Nevada, to get Fozzie Bear back. Fozzie has found work singing with a group of disgusting knock-off Muppets called Moopets, who rework songs as a means of advertising the casino. Fozzie agrees to join Kermit on account of his tremendous fear of the Moopets. Gonzo is much better off, owning a successful plumbing company. Initially disillusioned from the Muppets, he quickly realizes how much he has missed performing with his old friends and blows up his business to rejoin Kermit. With them in tow, the group next tries to recruit Animal, who is going through group anger-management therapy and is triggered into a frenzy by the word "drum", as is his sponsor, Jack Black. To save time, the Muppets suggest that they use a montage to recruit the rest of the gang, to the chagrin of Rowlf, who wanted his recruitment scene to get more attention. Finally, they try to get Miss Piggy, who is a high-ranking editor for Vogue. However, Miss Piggy is still hurt by her separation from Kermit, and refuses. The Muppets are forced to replace her with Miss Poogy of the Moopets.

With almost the entire gang in tow, the Muppets go about pitching their show to various networks. However, due to the unpopularity and cultural insignificance of the Muppets, they are turned down at every network. Finally, with the untimely cancellation of the popular reality show "Punch Teacher", network executive Veronica (Rashida Jones) reluctantly agrees to let them have a block of time for a telethon to raise their money. After resurrecting their theater (which is done quickly and easily when set to a music number), the Muppets realize that they are only a couple of days away from the show with a very poor rehearsal and no celebrity host. Failing to find a celebrity willing to host the show, Kermit goes to Tex Richman and begs him to return the theater to them. Richman refuses and reveals to Kermit that upon his ownership the the theater, he will also gain control of the Muppets name and brand, and hand them over to the Moopets.

Having returned to the gang after being unable to stomach the idea of Miss Poogy taking her place, Miss Piggy takes matters into her own hands and kidnaps Jack Black to force him to be their celebrity host. Mary finally gives up on Gary and returns to Smalltown. Gary realizes he has been neglecting her and goes after her, which upsets Walter, who is expected to have an act in the show but cannot think of a talent. Simultaneously, in music number format, Walter and Gary realize where they belong: Walter with the Muppets, and Gary as a human, with Mary. As the telethon starts, the Muppets realize that they have no audience, save for a lone hobo (Zach Galifianakis). They go on with the show regardless, and find that the theater quickly starts to fill and the donations start to flow in. Seeing this, Tex Richman attempts to cut the power to the theater so that the Muppets cannot continue. However, after making amends, Gary and Mary show up to restore power to the theater and let the show go on. The money continues to flow in, and it seems that the Muppets just might be able to save their theater. Kermit goes to Miss Piggy and they make amends, singing a love anthem with the rest of the Muppets ensemble.

The telethon runs short, and Gary talks a petrified Walter into doing his act to save the show. Steeling himself, Walter goes out and performs a stunning whistling act, earning a standing ovation and a massive influx of donations to the show. Just when it seems that they are about to save the theater, Tex Richman returns again, cutting off all of the calls and stopping the show seconds before midnight with donations at $9,999,999, defeating the Muppets and triumphantly claiming the theater and Muppet name for himself. Frustrated, Fozzie slams his head against the counter and it flickers and reveals how much they actually made: $99,999.99. Kermit explains to his friends that what was important is that they got back together and made an effort, as family, and they will stay that way. As they leave the theater, they are met outside with hundreds of thousands of fans that have come to support them. At the insistence of his friends, Walter finally takes his place as a true Muppet, and Gary proposes to Mary. As everyone joins together for one final song, Tex Richman is struck by a bowling ball accidentally hurled by Gonzo, and as the result of a head injury, returns the Muppets theater and rights to them.

Critical Reception:

Before release The Muppets was getting some flak from some long time and former Muppet performers who were unsure about the movie's tone and content. Chief among those were Frank Oz, one of the main muppeteers for years, who didn't like one scripts he read alluding to some crass humor that disrespected the characters.

After release The Muppets was heaved praise by most publications and reviewers making it one of the most positive reviewed movies of the year. With a mix of both adult edged humor and the same positive kid friendly attitude The Muppets ended up making around $85 million at the U.S. box office, making it the highest grossing film in the Muppet franchise without adjusting for inflation.