In the ‘90s, very few comedy duos could rival the formidable performers that were Kel Mitchell and Kenan Thompson. Nickelodeon fans first saw their talents on display in the storied sketch comedy series All That before they received their own spinoff series, Kenan & Kel. But of course, the two young stars would make the jump to the big screen in 1997 via Good Burger. The classic flick contains a number of memorable moments featuring the two actors and, as the movie celebrates its 25th anniversary and drops a new limited edition Blu-ray steelbook, Mitchell is opening up about the scene that still resonates with him to this today.
Where can one even start when it comes to listing Good Burger’s greatest moments. There’s the “strawberry jacuzzi” scene, the escape from Demented Hills Asylum and of course, the date night sequence featuring Carmen Electra’s Roxanne. However, the scene that Kel Mitchell has in mind is a bit more intimate. I had the pleasure of speaking with the comedy vet in celebration of the Nickelodeon movie’s milestone anniversary and steelbook Blu-ray release. And when I asked about a favorite scene featuring him and Kenan Thompson’s characters, he named the rooftop hangout as an element that has stayed with him:
The rooftop scene was really, really cool, because it was dramatic. I love [that] the writers let us kind of take it there in certain scenes, so that was cool. And then, Ed having that amazing joke at the end. ‘Well, at least I get to see [my dad] every day.’ And so that was a really deep moment and a fun moment.
The scene in question shows Kel Mitchell’s Ed and Kenan Thompson’s Dexter Reed taking in the night sky while chilling on top of the titular fast food eatery’s roof. It’s during this moment that the teens really get to know each other, after getting off to a rough start earlier in the film. Most notably, Dexter even opens up about his absent father, which draws the on-brand response that Mitchell mentioned above.
It’s not just the sentimental aspect of the scene that stands out for the Mystery Men alum, however. For him, it also represents the notion that the filmmakers and Nickelodeon as a whole wanted the project to appeal to viewers of all ages:
I think that was what was so cool about Nickelodeon is that they have jokes for the adults as well and for the kids. And I feel like that's why it's such a great movie that you can watch with the entire family and everybody gets a different perspective every time they see it. I think that's cool.
The film was only the second production to be released under Nick’s theatrical division (the first being 1996’s Harriet the Spy adaptation). With that, the company still seemed to be experimenting when it came to tone, which allowed for a bit of creative flexibility for the buddy comedy. The joke about Dexter’s dad is definitely a prime example of that as is the previously mentioned sequence with Carmen Electra's character.
The ‘90s box office hit remains a key part of Nickelodeon’s history and Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell’s careers. While many are still watching Kenan & Kel on Netflix as we speak, plenty of people still rave about their big-screen buddy comedy and the TV sketch on which it’s based. Its legacy is so strong that Thompson and Mitchell revived the Good Burger skit for The Tonight Show in 2015, and it was again performed by Mitchell on the All That revival.
At this point, it’s safe to assume that the movie will continue to be heralded for years to come. It’s really great to see that the general public still has love for it, but what’s even sweeter is knowing that Kel Mitchell and Kenan Thompson (who has given props to Nick before) still appreciate it over two decades later.
Good Burger's 25th anniversary Blu-ray steelbook is now available to own. The film is also available to stream with Hulu subscriptions as well as for those who are Amazon Prime subscribers.
