Dolittle

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, Jim Broadbent, Jessie Buckley, Harry Collett, Emma Thompson (voice), Rami Malek (voice), John Cena (voice), Kumail Nanjiani (voice), Octavia Spencer (voice), Tom Holland (voice), Craig Robinson (voice), Ralph Fiennes (voice), Marion Cotillard (voice), Jason Mantzoukas (voice), Kasin Sautniak, Selena Gomez (voice)
Directed by: Stephen Gaghan
Rating: PG
Genre: Adventure, Comedy
2020

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Now a recluse, Dr. Dolittle (Roberty Downey Jr.) reluctantly embarks on an adventure when he's asked to save the Queen's life.

Review:

Tim: Robert Downey Jr.'s post-Iron-Man career gets off to an inauspicious start with the bland Dolittle. This is the kind of film that just makes you ask so many questions. Why was it made in the first place? Who is it for? Why did RDJ think this was a good career choice? This isn't a terrible movie, but it's a far cry from anything worthwhile. It's hard to look at Dolittle with anything but disappointment with a tinge of scorn.

Nothing about this film ever felt convincing. It just came across as a forced, sub-optimal effort. I'm not sure who thought we needed a special effects heavy period adventure about Dr. Dolittle, but this film was unnecessary. It's interesting, there's so many of these fantasy films that rely on visual effects over storytelling and are aimed at a younger audience and they just so rarely connect. Take this one for instance- $175 million budget and it grossed $77 million domestic. Maybe someone could argue that the end of the run was impacted by the pandemic, but it opened towards the end of January to $21 million. It wasn't coronavirus, it was a complete lack of interest in this movie. I felt that even sitting down to watch it- everything about it looked forgettable.

I've liked Robert Downey Jr. for a long time and have loved his work as Tony Stark over the past decade. That being said, I strongly disliked his performance here. I guess his accent was okay, but everything felt off in his portrayal of the titular doctor. Most of his lines feel like he uttered them under his breath- it was this strange, reserved way of walking. It felt like he was channeling Tony Stark mixed with Jack Sparrow and it results in this odd, unlovable character. I don't think I felt anything for Dolittle. He didn't make me laugh, I wasn't caught up in his emotional drama. There's far bigger problems here than Downey's performance, but he didn't help the movie.

Harry Collett was fine, but doesn't give a very inspiring performance. I enjoyed seeing Antonio Banderas, but his role is minimal. Michael Sheen is another actor I like, but his over-the-top performance felt forced and cartoonish. Jim Broadbent and Jessie Buckley were welcome, but again, they had so little to do that their impact was negligible. The voice cast was solid and as an added benefit, didn't need to show their faces on screen. Emma Thompson always does solid voice work. Rami Malek was interesting. It was fun hearing Kumail Nanjiani and John Cena. Octavia Spencer and Tom Holland felt like they added so little. Craig Robinson had some nice moments. Ralph Fiennes did some great work in his one scene. I always enjoy hearing Jason Mantzoukas (his voice is so distinct and memorable) and he was good here. As a whole, the cast felt underutilized but you have to applaud the talent of the voice cast.

Perhaps the biggest issue here is that the story just feels like a mess. There's so much going on and the movie isn't very long, so it kind of rushes through everything. Dolittle is now a recluse because of the death of his wife. Two children conveniently arrive at his abandoned animal hospital on the same day, one to ask him to save the life of the Queen. The talking animals engage in unfunny buffoonery and eventually Dolittle embarks on this adventure. There's political betrayals involved, a over-the-top antagonist, a ton of humorless animal moments, and a dragon for some reason. It's quite frankly a forgettable quest and I never felt a shred of investment in any of the characters or the story. The visual effects of the animals are impressive, but that doesn't make up for a lackluster story.

Dolittle is absolutely a misfire. It's a movie that no one will remember and nearly no one will watch more than once. There's probably a silver demographic of young viewers who will like the movie, but honestly, it won't be that many people. This is a movie you should skip.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Artemis Fowl, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms