DR. DOLITTLE
Don't get me wrong; I can enjoy an occasional off-color joke as much
as the next guy, but I prefer if they're not written into the old movies
I loved as a kid. Alas, such is the case with 20th Century Fox's new version
of Dr. Dolittle, directed by Betty Thomas and starring Eddie Murphy
in the title role. This rewrite of Hugh Lofting's 1927 novel, penned by
Nat Mauldin and Larry Levin, is a far cry from Leslie Bricusse's 1967 version.
John Dolittle has been able to talk to animals since he was a little
kid. But his father (Ossie Davis) forced the boy to squelch his talent,
fearing that he would become an outcast in society. Not until he grows up
and becomes a successful M.D. does the ability resurface. Just as he and
his partners (Oliver Platt, Richard Schiff) are about to close a deal with
a big company incorporating their small practice, John starts hearing voices
from stray dogs and guinea pigs.
After a period of denial, he accepts his gift and helps a rat who is
suffering from stomach pains. He gains instant fame in the animal community
and is soon overrun with a menagerie of patients, all suffering from various
different ailments. Confusing his partners, his wife (Kristen Wilson), and
two daughters (Kyla Pratt, Raven-Symone), he must make the choice whether
to save his human relationships or his growing animal clientele. Or perhaps
he can manage to do both.
Eddie Murphy is one of those actors who is almost always funny. Although
this is not one of his best movies, he is thoroughly enjoyable here, with
the other actors mainly staying out of the way of his bits. The human part
of the story is quite silly; it is obviously just there to provide marginal
support for the animal plot.
But the most fun aspect of this film (for me) is trying to guess at the
multitude of celebrity voices featured as the animals. Norm MacDonald (Lucky
the dog) and Chris Rock (Rodney the guinea pig) are easy; they're featured
characters. But there is a host of TV and movie actors' voices playing bit
parts all the way through, each with different characterizations. Listen
for Albert Brooks, Reni Santoni, John Leguizamo, Julie Kavner, Garry Shandling,
Ellen DeGeneres, Brian Doyle-Murray, Jenna Elfman, and Gilbert Gottfried,
among others.
While this film, with its toilet paper and fart jokes, cannot possibly aspire to the kind of magic created by the 1967 version (I'll never forget that huge snail and butterfly), it does pack a few laughs and a great diversity of funny cameos. ***½