Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Kimball Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Python Hyena Doctor Dolittle (1998): Dir: Betty Thomas / Cast: Eddie Murphy, Ossie Davis, Oliver Platt, Peter Boyle, Kyla Pratt: Not nearly as good a remake as The Nutty Professor, which also starred Eddie Murphy, but this film does promise Murphy as a doctor who communicates with animals. The whole "Dolittle" bit of the name kind of gives the impression that he is lazy but in this film it is just the formula driven screenwriter. Plot is crammed together with the animals stealing the show. Among them is Lucky the dog who uses the toilet and blows his nose. He is nearly mashed by Murphy's car and becomes one of the family. Director Betty Thomas previously made the far superior Private Parts as well as the about as inferior The Brady Bunch Movie. She never establishes these jokes regarding animals with inhuman tendencies and they greater spiral the film down into the deepest of kitty litter proportions. Murphy seems to be the ideal choice for this role but after the premise is established it is just a one joke charade with Murphy reacting to the chaos. Ossie Davis, Oliver Platt and Peter Boyle are stuck in cardboard supporting roles. Special effects are similar to Babe but unlike that wonderful film Doctor Dolittle doesn't have a story to sell. It is another example of filmmakers cashing in of the success of yesteryear but creating a big budget and over-hyped dog show. Score: 2 / 10

secondtake Doctor Dolittle (1998)I was surprised to see this movie got such a low rating—it's not so bad. Oh, for sure it's not so great, either. But Eddie Murphy alone makes it something worth watching (he's one of the few perfect-pitch comedians out there). And the story, a 1920 classic for children, is something of its own.What falls apart is the slightly pushy sentimentalism and the generally mediocre secondary cast. That might be enough to push it into mediocrity, for sure, but it's not meant to be a deep classic, and it plays with the story nicely.That story is not just about a doctor (of the human type) who can hear animals talking. It's more about how society condemns hims and tries to help him with psycho-care. His bland wife (with the gorgeous eyes that get overplayed) is typical of his "friends," all nice people with distractions and no time for the possibility that he might, in fact, hear animals talk.The talking animals are of course great fun, from the rats to the tiger. This is the part of the movie that is meant to appeal across the board, and it does, including its good special effects. The feeling of family, not dysfunctional, is another bit of warmth, not to mention that the family is African American, a nice twist on the original story based on an English doctor.And though the movie was not liked by critics, it has made a third of a billion dollars, which speaks for itself. Not a masterpiece, and not even a classic, it still has wonderful aspects including a very wonderful basic concept.

Amy Adler Dr. John Dolittle (Eddie Murphy) is a gifted physician taking care of his human patients. He is so talented that offers of financial backing for he and his partners are coming in from unexpected sources. This is great news for John, his lovely wife and their two sweet daughters. However, when John was a boy, he could talk, truly, to his pet dog and spent time having long conversations with the canine. This made his father (Ossie Davis) so worried that he summoned the preacher to their house. There, the minister tried to call "the devil" out of John's body, an exercise that caused John's beloved dog to bite the holy man. When his father gave away the dog, John was heartbroken. No longer would he talk with animals. Yet, on a rainy night, Dr. John nearly hits a dog and brakes quickly, causing him to bump his head. Suddenly, John can hear what the animals around him are saying, much to his initial dismay. From rats to owls to tigers, animals are coming to ask for his help. With so much distraction, can he concentrate on his human medical treatments? This is a very nice family film, especially for those who adore animals. Murphy is great as the doctor and the rest of the cast is also nice, with Davis a pleasure to see and hear. Watch out, too, for Paul Giammati as the shrink summoned to examine John's mental health! The sets, costumes, and production are first rate. But, it is the lovable animals, and their human voices, that are the big stars. From the cute guinea pig to the lovable dog to the tipsy monkey, these critters are out to capture the hearts of the viewers. And, they succeed very, very well.

ILuvPrincessDiaries2 It was funny it was but it was also very crude humor and my family couldn't watch it because it was so filthy. Of course anything with Eddie Murphy in it has something bad in it. Eddie Murphy's favorite thing to do is to swear and I hate swearing. we didn't even watch half of it and we had to turn it off. This is why PG13 means what it is. I'm 14 and i still wouldn't watch it. My Parents wouldn't let me watch it. And my morals wouldn't let me watch it. They show a woman's naked butt and they swear like a sewer. All the jokes have to do with crap. This is NOT a kids show. i would NOT recommend this show to anyone. I do not see why they have to pervert everything.