Dolittle

By: Arlene Allen

I must confess, I had some misgivings going into Dolittle. I remembered the disastrous 1997 Eddie Murphy vehicle and Rex Harrison singing “If I Could Talk to the Animals” in the late 1960s. I was also concerned that the CGI would overpower the story or that the talking animals would look as creepy as the animals in 2019’s The Lion King. I have never been so happy to be wrong on all counts. Dolittle is one of the most charming films I’ve seen in a long time.

Robert Downey Jr. just nails it as Dr. John Dolittle, a veterinarian with the ability to talk to and understand all animals. He is shut up in his old, dilapidated manor grieving the loss of his wife, Lily (Kasia Smutniak). His only friends are a giraffe named Betsy (Selena Gomez), Chee Chee the gorilla (Rami Malek), Yoshi the polar bear (John Cena), Plimpton the ostrich (Kumail Nanjiani), a crazy duck with a metal leg called Dab-Dab (Octavia Spencer), his loyal dog Jip (Tom Holland) and his closest friend and adviser, a macaw named Polynesia (Emma Thompson).

His life changes dramatically when young Lady Rose (Carmel Laniado) comes to him for help. The new Queen Victoria (Jessie Butler) is deathly ill but believes Dolittle knows of a cure from all of his and Lily’s travels. Dolittle is rejuvenated! And, in addition to his animal friends, he recruits the shoemaker’s son Tommy Stubbins (Harry Collett) as his apprentice. They set off on an epic journey to a mystical island, which according to Lily’s journal harbors a tree that bears a healing fruit.  Along the way he encounters pirates led by Rassouli (Antonio Banderas), king of the buccaneers, as well as old adversary Dr. Blair Mudfly (Michael Sheen).

I mentioned that Robert Downey Jr. nails his performance. He takes the role seriously and, while the film has sly jokes and witty banter aplenty, he plays the eccentric but still grieving doctor perfectly. His accent is so good your completely forget he’s American! I fell in love with Robert Downey Jr. in the 80’s, then as Iron Man and even Sherlock Holmes. Dolittle just restarted my feelings and made me fall in love with him all over again.

The animal characters are awesome, each with a unique personality that the voice actors provide for them. I especially loved the banter between Yoshi the polar bear and Plimpton the ostrich. Dab-Dab the duck is also absolutely hysterical. Yes, they are CGI, but well-done CGI. Thankfully, director Stephen Gaghan opted to not just place mouths on real live animals a la The Lion King. The animation is so well done. Between that and the amazing cast of voice actors, Doolittle’s animals come vibrantly to life.

The cinematography captures the epicness of the adventure. While there are some dark scenes, the film is brightly lit in a way that captures the optimism and hope that our heroes represent. The musical score by Danny Elfman is one of the best fantasy scores I’ve heard since The Princess Bride. The music swells and soars, but echoes Doolittle’s grief. One standout track is “Original,” sung by Sia.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the screenplay for Dolittle is adapted from Hugh Lofting’s 1923 Newberry award winning novel The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle. The screenplay, written by director Stephen Gaghan, Dan Gregor and Doug Mand does its best to stay faithful to its source material.

There is such a sweetness to Dolittle that makes it irresistible. Except for a couple of scenes that may be scary for the youngest of children, this film is the perfect family movie. In short, Dolittle is absolutely Do-lightful!