Dolittle – Admissions of a Movie Fanatic Review

Rating: PG
Director: Stephen Gaghan
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, John Cena, Kumail Nanjiani, Octavia Spencer, Tom Holland, Craig Robinson, Ralph Fiennes, Selena Gomez, Marion Cotillard

Google Summary: Dr. John Dolittle lives in solitude behind the high walls of his lush manor in 19th-century England. His only companionship comes from an array of exotic animals that he speaks to on a daily basis. But when young Queen Victoria becomes gravely ill, the eccentric doctor and his furry friends embark on an epic adventure to a mythical island to find the cure.

This new Dolittle flick follows the adventure of a man who can talk to many animals – possessing a skill that anyone of any age would find fascinating.

I was excited for this movie the moment I saw the first trailer – mostly because I’m a fan of Robert Downey Jr. and have been ever since I saw him in the first Iron Man. Add in the fact that this was an adventure with vivid scenery, an interesting yet simple storyline, and well… who doesn’t love movies about talking animals? This seemed like it would be a good family movie to kick-off 2020.

If you’re thinking this Dolittle is going to be anything like Eddie Murphy’s Doctor Dolittle – I’m going to have to ask you think again. Downey’s Dolittle is its own style that is more similar to the sequel book The Voyages Of Doctor Dolittle, written by Hugh Lofting. Though similar in ways, the movie’s childlike innocence and humor is a stark difference from the book, which was geared towards a more adult audience.

This Dolittle focuses on delivering a tale (be it dog, giraffe, or whale) that captivates the attention of a younger audience with its goofy humor, and beloved animal characters – while for the adults, it captures the seriousness of facing grief, and putting yourself back into the world, along with dealing with all the twists and turns that are just around every corner.

I found Dolittle to be a cute, charming movie with some mildly serious tones. It’s about a man who has kept himself locked out from the world long enough – and the Queens’ life on the line is what he needed to help coax him out of this lifestyle. Along with the help of a brilliant, kind-hearted young boy and Dolittle’s very different, and very strange variety of animal friends, these pieces fit together to help get him back into society and into doing what he once loved most – helping others.

Watch the trailer below!