A physician who can talk to animals embarks on an adventure to find a legendary island with a young apprentice and a crew of strange pets.A physician who can talk to animals embarks on an adventure to find a legendary island with a young apprentice and a crew of strange pets.A physician who can talk to animals embarks on an adventure to find a legendary island with a young apprentice and a crew of strange pets.
- Awards
- 4 wins & 9 nominations total
Emma Thompson
- Poly
- (voice)
Rami Malek
- Chee-Chee
- (voice)
Kumail Nanjiani
- Plimpton
- (voice)
Octavia Spencer
- Dab-Dab
- (voice)
Tom Holland
- Jip
- (voice)
Craig Robinson
- Kevin
- (voice)
Ralph Fiennes
- Barry
- (voice)
Selena Gomez
- Betsy
- (voice)
Marion Cotillard
- Tutu
- (voice)
Featured reviews
I watched this at home on BluRay from our public library.
The IMDb rating seems a bit low, this is a very well-made and entertaining movie, with A-list actors, even those who voice animated characters.
Queen Victoria is ill and dying, in talking to a squid in a tank suspects she is being poisoned. They set off on a long cruise to find a particular plant that no one knows for sure exists but could cure the Queen.
Lots of green screen and CGI are involved, as such it takes on the look of a cartoon more than a conventionally filmed movie. It reminded me of watching Saturday morning cartoons with a few live characters.
Overall very entertaining, I watched it again 3 months later (September 2020), then almost 4 years later (APR 2024), this time with my wife also, and enjoyed it even more the second and third times. Plus I am a big Jessie Buckley fan, she plays the sick Queen, ultimately a small part but she lights up the screen.
The IMDb rating seems a bit low, this is a very well-made and entertaining movie, with A-list actors, even those who voice animated characters.
Queen Victoria is ill and dying, in talking to a squid in a tank suspects she is being poisoned. They set off on a long cruise to find a particular plant that no one knows for sure exists but could cure the Queen.
Lots of green screen and CGI are involved, as such it takes on the look of a cartoon more than a conventionally filmed movie. It reminded me of watching Saturday morning cartoons with a few live characters.
Overall very entertaining, I watched it again 3 months later (September 2020), then almost 4 years later (APR 2024), this time with my wife also, and enjoyed it even more the second and third times. Plus I am a big Jessie Buckley fan, she plays the sick Queen, ultimately a small part but she lights up the screen.
Had to write a brief review as the level of ignorance regarding RDJ's accent is astounding.
As a Welshman I can say his attempt at a Welsh accent is not a bad effort at all. Like many places around the UK we have regional variaions but RDJ does a passable version of a South Wales Valleys accent and that is no mean feat.
As far as the plot is concerned you have to remember this is a family film that's full of CGI animals. Was it great? Not quite - but there was enough fun to enjoy if you could get past the the initial shock that Dolittle wasn't from England.
Sadly it seems this was too far out of some peoples comfort zones and because of that they missed the hidden meanings of the film which circled around friends and friendship.
As a Welshman I can say his attempt at a Welsh accent is not a bad effort at all. Like many places around the UK we have regional variaions but RDJ does a passable version of a South Wales Valleys accent and that is no mean feat.
As far as the plot is concerned you have to remember this is a family film that's full of CGI animals. Was it great? Not quite - but there was enough fun to enjoy if you could get past the the initial shock that Dolittle wasn't from England.
Sadly it seems this was too far out of some peoples comfort zones and because of that they missed the hidden meanings of the film which circled around friends and friendship.
You get what you expect with this film - easy to watch and a good laugh from start to finish. As family friendly as a film gets. The cast (both in person and voice over) are of the highest calibre and this only adds to the quality.
A note on Downey Jr's Doctors accent - it is a South Wales accent. Not only did I pick up on this immediately, but I would know... being Welsh and having the very accent myself. He pulls it off with a more than decent attempt.
To summarise - very good viewing.
A note on Downey Jr's Doctors accent - it is a South Wales accent. Not only did I pick up on this immediately, but I would know... being Welsh and having the very accent myself. He pulls it off with a more than decent attempt.
To summarise - very good viewing.
No, this is not an Oscar contender.
But all the negative reviews are completely unwarranted.
This movie is cheesy and fun. It has talking animals. Good guys and bad guys. A love story. Comic relief.
It's meant for kids, people. And mine loved it.
But all the negative reviews are completely unwarranted.
This movie is cheesy and fun. It has talking animals. Good guys and bad guys. A love story. Comic relief.
It's meant for kids, people. And mine loved it.
Dolittle is a charming trip into the world of talking animals that features amazing computer-generated imagery. In an attempt to recreate the charm of the iconic figure, Robert Downey Jr. Gives the title part a quirky charisma through his unique acting. The group of voice actors gives the animal characters more nuance and individuality by contributing their distinct styles to the mix. The film's attempt to balance heart, humor, and adventure, however, frequently comes across as inconsistent, and the plot occasionally veers off course while failing to establish a coherent story. Dolittle can make some viewers long for a more seamless and captivating narrative experience, even with its humorous moments and striking graphics.
Dolittle fails to recreate the enchantment of its source material, despite showing off amazing computer graphics and a few jokes along the way. While Robert Downey Jr.'s eccentric interpretation of the lead role is enjoyable, the storyline of the movie lacks the cohesion required to keep viewers interested. Even while the CGI animal characters are artistically amazing, the sheer number of them often overpowers the plot, making it difficult for viewers to relate to the human-animal connection at the center of the story. While Dolittle has heartfelt and humorous moments, it ultimately leaves the audience with a mixed bag of sensations and feelings since it can't seem to strike a balance between its fanciful features and a gripping story.
Dolittle fails to recreate the enchantment of its source material, despite showing off amazing computer graphics and a few jokes along the way. While Robert Downey Jr.'s eccentric interpretation of the lead role is enjoyable, the storyline of the movie lacks the cohesion required to keep viewers interested. Even while the CGI animal characters are artistically amazing, the sheer number of them often overpowers the plot, making it difficult for viewers to relate to the human-animal connection at the center of the story. While Dolittle has heartfelt and humorous moments, it ultimately leaves the audience with a mixed bag of sensations and feelings since it can't seem to strike a balance between its fanciful features and a gripping story.
Did you know
- TriviaRobert Downey Jr. based his character on Dr. William Price, an eccentric Welshman. Dr. Price is now a revered historical figure in Wales - there's even a statue of him in his hometown of Llantrisant.
- GoofsThe plaque on Dr. Dolittle's gates invites people to "Inquire Within". In British English, the sign should say "Enquire Within".
- Quotes
Poly: Sit down, John.
Dr. John Dolittle: Don't embarrass me in front of my crew.
- Crazy creditsThe closing credits are set in a gallery of paintings/portraits of Dolittle and his crew.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Rich Evans Reacts to 2020 Movie Trailers (2020)
- SoundtracksOriginal
Written by Sia (as Sia Furler), Jesse Shatkin and Sean Douglas
Performed by Sia
Produced by Jesse Shatkin
Sia appears courtesy of Monkey Puzzle Music
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official sites
- Languages
- Also known as
- Le voyage du Dr Dolittle
- Filming locations
- Menai Suspension Bridge, Anglesey, Wales, UK(on location)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $175,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $77,047,065
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $21,844,045
- Jan 19, 2020
- Gross worldwide
- $251,410,631
- Runtime
- 1h 41m(101 min)
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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