In honor of National Cheese Lover’s Day (1/20), the Dig filmsters came up with some cheese movies to celebrate. My pick for this list was the 1997 Kenan and Kel hit Good Burger. A little blurb wasn’t enough; I had to spread the word. When it comes to cheese, it’s a top pick.
This movie has only heightened my craving for a burger and fries. FEED ME.
If you don’t know the origins of Good Burger, god you are young. This movie is a 90-minute take on a recurring sketch from a kid’s comedy show called All That. Starring Kenan and Kel, the pinnacle of ’90s teen comedy duos, as fast food workers Dexter and Ed. Dexter is an arrogant douchebag who drives without a license and crashes his mom’s car, forcing him to spend his summer working off the debt at Good Burger (as a driver, which never makes sense but whatever). Kel plays lovable dim-wit Ed, with his surfer voice and adorable bob of braids.
The plot of Good Burger is the typical good vs. evil story of the underdog burger joint trying to compete with the new, trendy spot. Good Burger finds its magical savior in Ed’s secret sauce and most of the plot is the Mondo Burger assholes trying to lure the secret out.
Hijinks ensue and the only true laughs come from Ed’s goofiness.
Despite the movie being kind of insane and full of clunkers, Ed cracks me up. He’s a kind-hearted, child-like goof and he says the randomest things. And then I laugh. Kel’s delivery is perfect and he really escapes into the character. I feel like I’ve just given the kindest review to Good Burger and Kel’s performance ever. Someone has to do it.
Listen, Good Burger will never get an honorary Oscar, but it’s a comfort flick. It’s goofy and brings back your childhood, like when you rented this on VHS and the tape was bright, iconic Nickelodeon orange. This is the kind of movie you watch with friends while not sober and eating late night burgers. And catchphrases, and so I leave you with this…
