Fat Albert

Teenage Doris has a problem. No one wants to be her friend or invite her to their parties. As she is crying over the television's remote control, a tear drops into the device. As she happens to have a Fat Albert cartoon on the set, her sadness seeps onto the title character. Albert insists on jumping through the screen, along with his friends, to help her develop a more positive self image. While they are in the real world, the whole gang adapts to modern culture quickly. They never lose sight of their true goal, however. Will Fat Albert and his crew be able to better Doris' life? It is so satisfying to watch a film for teens and children that is determined to amuse and enlighten without objectionable material. Although the story is somewhat weak and a bit wandering, Albert and the actors playing the gang members are just wonderful, as is Doris and her lovely cousin, Laurie. Bill Cosby himself has a small part in the film, too. If you are a choosy parent, who screens every film before making a decision on a movie's worth, you will probably give thumbs up to this new entry into family features. It has an upbeat message that overcomes any weaknesses.

This movie was pretty much forced into being, and horribly so. I never watched "Fat Albert" as a kid, but I concluded that I would watch the movie based upon the cartoon's reputation. Had I known that Fat Albert and the gang would lunge through the television from cartoon town to real life, I wouldn't have even watched the opening credits.

It was a feel good story with a good message, but it was terribly done. A lot of the scenes in the movie seemed as though they were for occupying space and time more than for aiding the plot. Fat Albert can do it all, and even though he's fat, he's super cool. That is about what I got out of the bulk of the movie.

What can I say ?

I definitely looked forward to seeing this movie for nostalgia's sake. I was, and still am, a huge fan of the cartoon.

I was glad to see Bill Cosby's involvement in the movie and was glad to see him give history behind the characters he created for the show.

Eventually, in the movie, we get to meet the men he based the characters on, with the exception of Albert Robertson, the one who Fat Albert is based on. Bill and the others get together to pay him homage at his grave, which was sort of a tear jerker for me.

I'll definitely be adding the movie and the series to my DVD collection.

This is a typical Hollywood made American made piece of crap. The famous cartoon from 1972-1984 had the right formula to amuse kids. This film has a bunch of hip-hop crap, and the worst is that its not animated anymore. The acting is decent. I just wonder how Bill Cosby material has sunk this far. So to those of you whom have kids, buy the original animated series from Time/Life Books and videos. This film would have much more wider appeal had it been down with a 70's style music score without all of the 21st century effects. The scenes in the school are preety funny, the script is shallow and unworthy of a Bill Cosby stamp of approval. There are a few funny scenes. But unfortunately the 2004 setting is very lame and flat compared to the original 70's format.

The story of what happens when Fat Albert and his gang cross into the real world is a mixed bag. Some of it works, some of it doesn't and some of it just sort of lays there and does nothing.

Part of the problem is that Bill Cosby was allowed to write the script. Bill is a very funny man, is wonderful here playing himself, but he can and often does climb up on a high horse and moralize about life and behavior. This moralizing, lesson teaching, and need to be a "family film" hobbles the movie since everything has to have a point or to need to have a message. Its not bad, but it takes away from what could have been a funnier comedy.

Is it worth seeing? Yes, especially if love the old series. But wait to rent it or see on TV since it plays very much like a TV movie anyway.

5 out of 10