Good Burger 2: A Fun Stroll Down Drive-Thru Lane

I'll admit as someone who grew up with the original Good Burger (which came out in 1997) I was cautiously optimistic about Good Burger 2. Nostalgia seems to be mined for all it's worth in today's pop culture landscape. Does Good Burger 2 fall victim to just being nostalgia bait? Thankfully, the short answer is no. 

Every so often there is a movie that is exactly what it should be. Good Burger 2 is such a movie. The film wastes no time in getting us to the inciting incident that kicks off the events of the story. Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell get right back into their roles of Dex and Ed as if no time has passed. I was impressed by how quickly Good Burger 2 gets viewers back into the universe of the movies (you'll see what I mean from the opening minutes). Ed and Dex are obviously older now and both characters are at places in their lives that make a lot of sense for who they are. Ed still works at the fast food restaurant Good Burger and Dex is still a schemer who sometimes has a heart of gold. It's simple but works well for the movie. Other things that work well for Good Burger 2 are the references to the original film, most of the celebrity cameos (especially Pete Davidson and Mark Cuban), the quirky sense of humor, and new supporting characters. I was surprised that supporting characters were used more in Good Burger 2 compared to the original, but they are used effectively.

I won't sit here and say that Good Burger 2 is a masterpiece. However, this movie was made for people who enjoy the original movie and was clearly made with a lot of heart. You can tell that Kenan and Kel love being back in their roles. Choices like the villain's backstory (which I won't spoil of course) are made with the fans of Good Burger in mind. Not every joke or zany bit lands, but that is OK. In a time of reboots, sequels, prequels, nostalgic cash grabs, etc. I appreciate a movie like Good Burger 2 that knows its audience and delivers a meaningful new entry in the franchise. Good Burger 2 is just what the customer ordered.


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