Dolittle

Robert Downey Jr. portrays Dr. Dolittle as a sad widower who has isolated himself from human society and withdrawn into his animals' companionship, lending him a quirky, kind demeanor. His moments of peaceful communication with both large and little species are actually heartwarming; they show a man mending via connection rather than isolation. With Emma Thompson's straightforward parrot Poly acting as both comic relief and an emotional anchor, the voice cast is dependably entertaining. Rami Malek's nervous gorilla Chee-Chee and Tom Holland's jittery dog Jip make for real chuckles, and the animal banter has a simple, improvised beat.

The entire production design is impressive. The film's journey to a mythical island feature some very spectacular imagery, especially an underwater sequence and an encounter with a dragon that, despite its strange tone, exhibits visual ambition uncommon in family fare. Dolittle's manor is a marvel of Victorian clutter and hidden surprises. The movie's central theme of empathy across species lines is delivered in a charming way without being overbearing, and younger audiences will probably find the zoo of talking animals fascinating.

Despite his dedication, Downey Jr.'s portrayal occasionally veers into affectation because of his difficult-to-understand hushed Welsh accent, which distances rather than connects with the audience. The picture has abrupt tonal changes as a result of its inability to strike a balance between its slapstick humor and somber undertone. An attempt at Shrek-style satire is met with thudding crudeness in a scene where Dolittle removes bagpipes from a dragon's buttocks.

It is not good for the human characters. Harry Collett's portrayal of Dolittle's young apprentice Tommy Stubbins is largely expositional and receives little development. Despite their skill, Antonio Banderas and Michael Sheen, who play rival explorers, don't pose much of a threat. We explore places, interact with animals, resolve small issues, and then continue sailing without raising any tension. The plot itself is a fetch quest of episodic interactions that never really gains traction.

The middle hour sees a considerable slowdown in pacing, and the dramatic rescue seems forced rather than deserving. Dolittle occasionally finds it difficult to explain why this specific journey is significant beyond simply fulfilling plot points in a movie about communication.

Staff:

Directed by: Stephen Gaghan

Written by: Stephen Gaghan, Dan Gregor, and Doug Mand

Story by: Thomas Shepherd

Based on: Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting

Produced by: Joe Roth, Jeff Kirschenbaum, and Susan Downey

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, Harry Collett, Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, John Cena, Kumail Nanjiani, Octavia Spencer, Tom Holland, Ralph Fiennes, Selena Gomez, and Marion Cotillard.

Cinematography: Guillermo Navarro

Edited by: Craig Alpert and Chris Lebenzon

Music by: Danny Elfman

Production companies: Roth/Kirschenbaum Films, Team Downey, and Perfect World Pictures

Distributed by: Universal Pictures

Release date: January 17, 2020

Running time: 101 minutes