Eddie Murphy, a highly successful American film comedian, faced his fair share of flops and disappointments throughout his career. In the mid-1990s, Murphy needed a drastic change to reclaim his status as one of Hollywood's top stars. One such move was his decision to star in remakes of 1960s comedies. Following the success of The Nutty Professor, Murphy took on the lead role in Doctor Dolittle, a 1998 comedy directed by Betty Thomas and inspired by the 1967 musical comedy that almost bankrupted 20th Century Fox.
The film follows Dr. John Dolittle (portrayed by Eddie Murphy), a successful San Francisco physician who becomes able to understand and communicate with animals after a life-changing incident. Initially, Dr. Dolittle questions his sanity, but he eventually embraces his newfound ability. As news of his unique talent spreads among animals, his office is overrun by various creatures. Meanwhile, Dr. Mark Weller (played by Oliver Platt) plots to sell Dolittle's hospital to wealthy HMOs.
The scriptwriters, Nat Mauldin and Larry Levin, take a bold approach by setting the story in San Francisco and portraying Dr. Dolittle as a serious and ordinary character. The inclusion of toilet humor, a departure from Hugh Lofting's original children-oriented stories, pays off largely due to director Betty Thomas's skill in making potentially offensive comedy accessible to a wider audience. While Eddie Murphy's performance feels somewhat restrained, the real stars of the film are the animated animal characters, brought to life with a mix of CGI and practical effects. The voices behind these creatures, provided by top American comedians, deliver both impressive and comedic moments. However, the script does fall into clichés with an unnecessary hospital takeover subplot, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the film.
Despite its flaws, Doctor Dolittle offers enough entertainment value for audiences to overlook its shortcomings.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
(Note: This review was originally posted in the Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.films.reviews on June 17th, 2004)
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