Grande 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.

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

For the most part, when "family" and "movie" are right next to each other in the same sentence, my first instinct is to run as fast as I can the other way. But with a movie pass about to expire, and nothing else in the theater that piqued my interest (Christmas With the Kranks? NO THANK YOU!), I sat down in my seat with no expectations. I haven't seen the original TV series in years, but I've always been a big fan of Bill Cosby, and I was immediately put at ease when the credit "Written by Bill Cosby" came up. Bill's script keeps the spirit of the original characters intact, and incorporates them into the real world without an overkill of "Oh, wow! Things are so different now!" style of jokes. This movie is made for kids, not at kids. Things are kept simple without being condescending, and at no time will adults have to talk their way out of explaining something "adult" to the kiddies. In the end, while this movie won't win any technical or artistic awards, it's still a fun little movie that the whole family can enjoy, and for once, that's a good thing. B-plus.

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.

Keeping your expectations low is the key to this cute but silly film. The extraneous plot is razor thin and even almost unnecessary as it's merely a joy to watch Keenan Thompson as a live action Fat Albert. This is a pleasant watch throughout, although somewhat underdone if anything. Examples: the film's villain is not very evil, the Bill Cosby cameo is tacked on, and the fish out of water timepiece is not explored for long. I also felt that they didn't concentrate any effort on characterizing the Cosby Kids other than Fat Albert himself. Rudy, for example, in the cartoon was a smart aleck who was the least likable of the gang but in the film, he's a sweet kid who simply dresses like Rudy. Although easy to criticize, the film can't help but be charming and likable without any pretensions. What's more, it's a good choice for children-- I can't think of anything objectionable here that my three-year-old couldn't watch. Rating: 6/10