Doctor Dolittle (1998)
6/10
Starring
Eddie Murphy
Ossie Davis
Oliver Platt
Directed by Betty Thomas
Well, I had to go back and see the Doctor Dolittle of 1998, you know
the Eddie Murphy one that was actually good and funny not like
Dolittle
(2020). This was done twenty-two years earlier, which I have
to say is head and shoulders better than Dolittle
(2020).
The movie has many standout moments, from John smelling his
principal’s butt, to the priest carrying out an exorcism all this
when he was younger. To when he was older (now played by Eddie
Murphy) and a dog insults him for being a bad driver or when all of a
sudden his home is filled with animals to the time of the tiger
incident in public. Many memorable things happened in this movie that
made it such an amazing movie to see then and even now.
The talent of Eddie Murphy soaked this movie from the moment he gets
his turn on screen, and as expected the puppeteer and effects
delivered the needed feel you needed to enjoy this movie.
Inspired by the series of children's stories of the same name by Hugh
Lofting. The movie is well directed by Betty Thomas who also directed
the Murphy and Owen Wilson movie I Spy (2002).
The movie plot introduces us to a young John Dolittle who we see
talking to his dog. His father did everything he could to stop such
behavior and John did growing up to be a successful doctor (not a
vet), and running a profitable practice along with his two friends.
John is also married with two girls and we see that he is not having
the best of times. Not that he is struggling, but you can see that he
seems out of place like something in his life is missing.
Everything changed when he almost hit a dog with his car and he could
swear he heard the dog call him a bone head. That single incident
triggered something, John was in a meeting the next day and he
started hearing all the animals around him talk.
He suspected that he was having a meltdown and sought help, but that
did not make things go away for him and the movie changed pace from
then on as we see John deal with his new found gift.
The film was not a critical success, but it was a commercial one
which led to a theatrical sequel and three spin-offs. Murphy reprises
his role in the second theatrical movie. I prefer this to the
new one released now, good thing is the
new Dolittle is doing badly so there will be no second part
to the nonsense.
0 comments:
Post a Comment