Dr. DolittleMovie Reviews

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So-so
Avg. Critic Score: 46 out of 100 Mixed or average reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
8 OK for kids 8+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 83
    Entertainment Weekly | Lisa Schwarzbaum

    Director Betty Thomas demonstrates her expertise at keeping indulgence at bay in even the coarsest of comic situations. Read full review

  • 75
    Chicago Sun-Times | Roger Ebert

    Too many adults have a tendency to confuse bad taste with evil influences; it's hard for them to see that the activities in "Doctor Dolittle,'' while rude and vulgar, are not violent or anti-social. The movie will not harm anyone. Read full review

  • 70
    Salon.com | Stephanie Zacharek

    A weird delight. Read full review

  • 60
    The New York Times |

    There is the language to consider, but despite the film's slow start, small children should take to the idea of communicating with animals. Read full review

  • 50
    Austin Chronicle | Russell Smith

    Given a choice between the puerile but essentially innocent whimsy of Dr. Dolittle and the dimwitted nastiness of, say, "Dirty Work," parents should be grateful for the Eddie Murphys and Jim Carreys of the world for at least providing a kinder, gentler option. Read full review

  • 50
    New York Daily News | Jami Bernard

    An on-again, arf-again comedy. [26 June 1998, p. 54] Read full review

  • 50
    Variety |

    Slim on story and rife with scatological jokes, the film may strike a chord with pre-teens but misses for an older crowd despite some nifty effects and broad humor. Read full review

  • 50
    USA Today | Susan Wloszczyna

    Dr. Dolittle does do a lot of stuff right. [ 26 June 1998, p. 12 E] Read full review

  • 30
    Los Angeles Times | Kenneth Turan

    A complete waste of time and potential. Read full review

  • 25
    San Francisco Chronicle | Bob Graham

    Runs out of ideas long before the projector runs out of film. Read full review

View more reviews for Dr. Dolittle on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says OK for kids 8+ This gimmicky animal tale is crude but funny.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that this Eddie Murphy vehicle lifts the name and basic concept from Hugh Lofting's famous stories about a man who can "talk to the animals." An enormous amount of sophmoric humor involving the good doctor's animal patients is added to the mix -- cute but wearying for adults. Because many of the jokes include toilet humor and crude references to the human body, parents may want to decide whether or not they feel comfortable with this type of content for children younger than 5, though those children will certainly be charmed by the animal characters. Children above 5 will enjoy the jokes, but parents may still wish to exercise discretion, due to the nature of the humor.
  • Families can talk about the adult themes depicted in this movie, such as insanity, death and greed. Families can also talk about what they think it would be like to be able to talk to animals. Do you think that would be fun?
The good stuff
  • message true0 Positive messages: In some scenes, Dolittle is unkind to animals: he shouts at a dog, and briefly ignores the animals' pleas for medical attention.
What to watch for
  • violence false3 Violence and scariness: The rat characters keep goading each other into a fistfight. A rat nearly dies on the operating table. A woman with an allergic reaction to shellfish, visits Dolittle's office with horrifically puffed-up eyes (her bruised posterior is also featured).
  • sex false3 Sexy stuff: Much of the film contains mildly raunchy material, including double entendres and sexual innuendo.
  • language false0 Language: At one point Dolittle quickly utters the "s" word. Jokes involve excretion, flatulence, and urination; countless gags center around animals' "butts." The milder terms "crap" and "nooky" are also utilized.
  • consumerism false0 Consumerism: Not an issue
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false0 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Not an issue
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

Dr. Dolittle Movie Ratings + Reviews

Fans say

So-so 26 fan reviews

Critics say

So-so See all critic reviews

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