The World is not a pleasant place these days: war, recession, Chris Brown beating up Rhianna. It seems everywhere you turn theres another reason to feel a little less happy, so thank the sweet chocolate Jesus that the long-muted "
Arrested Development" movie is finally clawing its way out from the depths of development hell to bring its unique brand of some much needed laughter back to the World. Never has a films title been so apt. "Arrested Development: The Movie" has been stuck in arrested development ever since Fox cruelly brought the axe down on yet another critically acclaimed show. Im pretty sure that if they could, Fox would fill their schedules with 168 hours of "American Idol". Hailed by many, including myself, as the best sitcom since "Seinfeld", "Arrested Development" built up a cult following during its three season run, but unfortunately for them, and us, they couldnt translate critical success and cult status into viewing figures and Fox cancelled the show mid-way through its third season. As the show finished, the internet was buzzing with rumours that another network would pick the show up and give it the respect it deserved, and although Showtime showed a serious interest in picking it up, nothing materialised and alas
"Arrested Development" was no more. Showtime meanwhile, stuck to what it does best: softcore pornography.
Bluth family fans never gave up hope though that they would one day see the most dysfunctional family on TV again and talk of a movie refused to go away. There was worry that theyd never be able to get the entire cast back together, after all
"Arrested Development" was responsible for launching the career of neurotic ball of teenage angst
Michael Cera as well as resurrecting the career of
Jason Bateman, both of whom have been anything but short of work since the show ended in 2006. Last month though, executive producer
Ron Howard and show creator
Mitchell Hurwitz confirmed that the movie fans had been dreaming about was indeed on the way. So much like its fellow cancelled Fox show "Firefly" got in the form of
"Serenity", "Arrested Development" will be getting a movie. Ive already seen articles and blogs from A.D. geeks demanding in-jokes and not pandering to a wider audience, but Im hoping that Howard and Hurwitz can follow Joss Whedons lead and make a film that not only appeases the fanboys but also wins over new fans. This movie has the potential to do as Serenity did and turn new fans on to the TV show and remind old fans just how great the show and these characters were and still are. Although Hurwitz knew the show would be ending and tried to give viewers a satisfactory conclusion, there are many arcs unresolved and questions unanswered, so
"Arrested Development: The Movie" can not only let the Bluths go out in the blaze of glory they deserve, it can also give the shows long-suffering fans the closure they crave.
So Im hoping we get spades of everything that made "Arrested Development" the cult hit it was, and given the impressive list of guest stars the TV show attracted during its run, I would imagine were in for a long list of cameos, its not like Judge Reinholds got anything better to do is it? When "Arrested Development: The Movie"
does finally hit the big screen it should also help remedy the fact that
Will Arnett and
David Cross arent bigger stars. As hapless magician G.O.B. and never-nude aspiring actor Tobias Funke, Arnett and Cross stole every scene they appeared in on the show. Whether it was Tobias painting himself blue to try and join The Blue Man Group or dressing as an English nanny a la Mrs. Doubtfire or whether it was G.O.B. dueting with his African-American puppet Franklin on It Aint Easy Being White or his theatrical botching of yet another of his illusions (tricks are what whores do for money) to the strains of
The Final Countdown"
. While the over-the-top, larger than life characters played by Arnett and Cross invariably stole the shows bigger laughs, the more subtle performances from Bateman and Cera who can both raise a laugh just from their reactions gave "Arrested Development" its heart.
Because in between the social commentary, endless pop culture references & intertexuality and jokes about incest & the Iraq war,
"Arrested Development" is ultimately about family and the ties that bind. And in a World where any news is bad news, to get warmth and affection from a razor-sharp, supremely funny piece of film-making is a feeling that cant be underestimated. So new fans and old alike, lets welcome the Bluth family back to our screens and hope that absence truly has made the heart grow fonder when "ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT: THE MOVIE" finally hits screens next year hopefully.