Cert - PG, Run-time - 1 hours 42 minutes,

Directors - Loren Bouchard, Bernard Derriman

While a sinkhole outside their restaurant causes more stress for owners Bob (H. Jon Benjamin) and Linda (John Roberts) it provides their children with an early-summer murder-mystery to solve.

For anyone who’s never seen hit adult animation series Bob’s Burgers there’s an easy way in to the feature adaptation. Before the unexpected opening(ish) song simple gags are bantered thick and fast between the central Belcher family within their burger restaurant. Parents Bob (H. Jon Benjamin) - displaying a hand-drawn “smelliest man award” above his grill - and Linda (John Roberts) worry about their loan and rent payments while their kids sit behind the counter poking fun at their dad and making instruments made of spoons and napkin holders. It’s a welcoming dose of humour easily establishing the film’s tone and style.

While having never seen the show, it feels as if little has been changed or damaged in the transition to the big screen. Characters feel finely sculpted in both writing and performance, allowing for the various gags to come through with maximum effect; even the plentiful background jokes which should make an even more rewarding rewatch.

Things are made worse for the parents when a sinkhole opens up outside their restaurant, although providing their children with the opportunity to solve a murder after finding a body at the bottom of the opening. Each sibling has their own individual challenge throughout the film - for example, nine-year-old Louise (Kristen Schaal) wants to seem braver after being teased at school for her bright pink, bunny-eared hat. These challenges work because they become part of the character’s personalities instead of working as a fully formed arc to get in the way of the main narrative.

Such traits become the point of recurring gags, and often the more elements are pushed the funnier they become - especially with their only slightly occasionally absurdist leanings and the dead-pan, matter-of-fact nature of a number of characters, particularly Kevin Kline’s wonderfully eccentric landlord Calvin Fischoeder. By the time the short and few musical numbers come around it’s hard not to have a big smile spread across your face as you feel the summer joy that the film encapsulates.

As the third act arrives and the narrative presents its closing elements there’s still plenty of laughs to be had. Jokes are frequently placed throughout, worked into the scenes and narrative to never drop the tone. It makes for one of the funniest, most entertaining villain confrontations and explanations possible. A pure joy to see unfold through the tears in your eyes. The entire cast and crew understand the hints of silliness within the structure of the world and characters and play with them for full effect.

From start to finish The Bob’s Burgers Movie proves itself as a successful transition to the big screen. Creating a joyous kick-off to the summer with plenty of laughs, gags and jokes to warrant repeat viewings. A simply excellent piece of consistent entertainment to really sink your teeth into.

Jamie Skinner - Five stars