Festivale online magazine
A Reel Life film section
Good Burger movie review

A kid's flick with lots of slapstick humour and occasional kiddie-music (lots of noise and rhythm), Good Burger comes from kiddie-specialists Nickelodeon. It uses actors and characters proven to be popular on the television.

The premise is simple: good guys versus bad, corporate America versus the small family business, good healthy food versus artificial flavourings and additives, quality against quantity.

The film moves along at a reasonable pace and has enough interest and plot to keep kids and accompanying adults in their seats. Abe Vigoda in his part as the world's oldest fast food employee sitting making chips while wearing his oxygen mask is a particularly nice touch for the adults.

As an adventure film, Good Burger manages to get by without gore and weaponry, with most of the violence being perpetrated on the vehicle of Mr Wheat, the hopelessly trapped-in-the-seventies teacher played by Sinbad. It promotes friendship, loyalty and self-reliance, all the kind of fillings parents want their kids to live on.

As an added bonus for basketball fans, there is a cameo appearance by Los Angeles Lakers athlete Shaquille O'Neal, a fan of the lead actors, who says, "I'm a big fan of their work. Kenan and Kel are like the Heckle and Jeckle of the '90s. And when I grow down, I want to be just like them."

Perhaps not the film an adult would appreciate enough to go on one's own, it is a film that adults and children can sit through together, and worth while, especially if you take the time to discuss the film with the kids afterwards.

Welcome to good burger,
home of the good burger,
can I take your order please?

It was the last day of school and a boy named Dexter was driving his mother's car home until Ed from the Good Burger restaurant roller bladed in front of Dexter, and Dexter crashed into his teacher's car. Dexter had to pay for the damage: $1900 + $800 = $2,700.

Dexter had to look for a job. His first job was Mondo burger, but he did not do well and he was fired by Kurt the boss. Dexter went to Good Burger to drown his troubles in milkshakes. There Ed made friends with him and got him a job.

Ed and Dexter become friends. Ed seems stupid, and Dexter seems smart. Ed is so literal that when he is told to watch his ass, he spins round and round like a dog. But Ed really was smarter than people think because when Ed and Dexter were eating in a car park and a dog came up, Ed really did understand what the dog wanted.

This film is about a little company and nice people who compete against a big company and mean people, and in the end good burgers and good people win.

Definitely recommended by Alex Keher,9 out of 10.