Dolittle Movie Review - January 2020

Dolittle

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Starring:

Robert Downey Jr. as Dr. John Dolittle

Michael Sheen as Dr. Blair Müdfly

Jessie Buckley as Queen Victoria

Antonio Banderas as King Rassouli

Animal Voices:

Emma Thompson as Poly

Kumail Nunjiani as Plimpton

Octavia Spencer as Dab-Dab

Ralph Fiennes as Barry

Selena Gomez as Betsy

Since one of my favorite childhood movies is Doctor Dolittle filmed in 1967 I just had to go see this recreation in the theatre.* While the CGI and visual effects were wonderful, this movie is missing the music and singing featured in the original. It made the original more fun and exciting. One of my favorite songs from that movie is Talk to the Animals. I was shocked they didn't use that song even once. It's also missing the love of animals Doctor Dolittle showed for his animal friends. Downey failed to show an emotional connection to his animals compared to Rex Harrison who was wonderful at it. There were a few laughs sprinkled throughout. You can always count on Kumail for a laugh. I enjoyed his Ostrich character the most. No tears, though the first scene with the squirrel is disturbing and I closed my eyes so I didn't see the violence. So, I'm not sure how much they showed, but you may want to cover young children's eyes. You'll know when since you can see it coming. 

I think children would find this one more entertaining than adults since they wouldn't be disappointed by the plot. Visually it would definitely hold their attention though they might not understand the plot very well. The plot needs some revision and it skips around too much. It's only 1 hour and 41 minutes, most children could handle sitting for that long. Check out the trailer:

Downey did a good job of a British accent. I get very distracted if an actor can't hold an accent the entire time. Check out the original movie's trailer:

If you are a fan of Downey, Kumail or the original movie put this one on your list to see, just don't have high expectations. If you have young children, you may want to purchase it on Blueray so they can watch it multiple times. They will find the animals very entertaining and endearing. Preorder this movie in 4K Ultra HD on Blueray with a Digital Code from Target or from Walmart.* What movie have you seen lately that you recommend?

Have a PEACEful Day!

*Affiliate Links