Dr. Dolittle (1998)
Average Rating: 5.3/10
Reviews Counted: 50
Fresh: 22 | Rotten: 28
No consensus yet.
Average Rating: 5.8/10
Critic Reviews: 9
Fresh: 5 | Rotten: 4
No consensus yet.
liked it
Average Rating: 2.8/5
User Ratings: 815,345
My Rating
Movie Info
Betty Thomas directed this adaptation of the classic children's stories by Hugh Lofting (1886-1947), updating the original concepts into the present day. When noted surgeon Dr. John Dolittle (Eddie Murphy) swerves his car to avoid hitting a dog, he hits his head on the windshield, triggering his long-dormant gift for holding conversations with animals. Friends, associates and his wife Lisa (Kristen Wilson), all express concern, but Dr. Dolittle is happy as he takes on new animal clients. Soon
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Cast
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Eddie Murphy
Dr. John Dolittle -
Ossie Davis
Archer Dolittle -
Oliver Platt
Dr. Mark Weller -
Peter Boyle
Calloway -
Richard Schiff
Dr. Gene Reiss -
Kristen Wilson
Lisa Dolittle -
Jeffrey Tambor
Dr. Fish -
Kyla Pratt
Maya Dolittle -
Raven Symone
Charisse Dolittle -
Steven Gilborn
Dr. Litvack -
Norm Macdonald
Lucky -
Albert Brooks
Jacob -
Chris Rock
Rodney -
Reni Santoni
Rat #1 -
John Leguizamo
Rat #2 -
Julie Kavner
Female Pigeon -
Garry Shandling
Male Pigeon -
Gilbert Gottfried
Compulsive Dog -
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Dr. Dolittle Trailer & Photos
All Critics (51) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (22) | Rotten (28) | DVD (10)
Slim on story and rife with scatological jokes, the film may strike a chord with pre-teens but misses for an older crowd despite some nifty effects and broad humor.
Top CriticMurphy's likeable, the script's laden with a gaggle of one-liners, and there's even a vague message nestling beneath the zoological chaos.
The movie will not harm anyone, and in the audience I saw it with, lots of parents and kids seemed to be laughing together.
The old actor's rule -- never work with animals or kids -- has never seemed more apt. The animals steal the scene from Murphy every time, and he gives it up gladly.
Dr. Dolittle runs out of ideas long before the projector runs out of film.
A cloying, humorless motion picture whose only assets are the work of Jim Henson's Creature Shop and a couple of good one-liners by a pair of rodents.
This gimmicky animal tale is crude but funny.
Even star Eddie Murphy seems bored.
It's quite funny for the first thirty minutes, but after that it's kind of like beating a dead horse. A dead talking horse.
Dr. Dolittle is destined to be a money maker, since kids will see the talking animals and be instantly taken in, but it is the film's utter lack of anything wholesome that causes its downfall.
One of the things about Dr. Dolittle that helps raise it above kiddy-fare and give the accompanying adults a bit of amusing entertainment are the not-so-kid-targeted jokes.
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Provides enough entertainment for the audience to enjoy the film despite [its] flaws.
Dr. Dolittle doesn't cut it as a family film or as a comedy farce. It's too vulgar to be the former and too inconsistent to be the latter. But consider this movie to be a test -- how many times can you laugh at one joke?
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.
Director Betty Thomas recruited a host of stand-up comedians to provide the voices for the animals, and it's a gimmick that works astonishingly well. Talking animals have never sounded so witty.
Murphy does little more than react to stupid pet tricks.
This movie is not fair to either man or beast. It makes all creatures seem annoying, charmless, noisy, witless and unfunny--unless you are fond of toilet and arse jokes.
Os roteiristas parecem pensar que o simples fato de estarmos vendo um cachorro resmungando é engraçado, não importando o que ele fale. O problema é que importa, sim - e muito.
The moral of Dr. Dolittle is follow your bliss no matter what anyone else thinks.
Why are creatures commenting here on copulation and what are anal thermometers doing being swallowed up by canines' rears in a kids' picture?
Murphy himself is rather dull in the straight man role, and the jokes are pretty coarse for a family film. But it's certainly better than the lacklustre sequel, which finds Eddie playing second fiddle to a performing bear.
Takes a children's story and makes it witty and slick enough for an adult audience, while also infusing obvious lessons for the younger generation about acceptance and tolerance for those who are different.
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