Oliver & Compagnie

This film has a very modern "New York City" style that sets it apart from Disney's other works. The premise of the film, Oliver Twist with dogs, is great and it is executed well with a lot of good characters and jokes.

Curiously endearing Disney animated feature inspired by "Oliver Twist", transposing the Dickensian favorite fairly successfully to a modern-day New York setting - with the villainous Bill Sykes as a mobster (flanked by a couple of vicious mastiffs). Stylistically, it lies somewhere between LADY AND THE TRAMP (1955) and the adult-oriented films of Ralph Bakshi (without the sex and violence, naturally); as such, it stands oddly alongside the studio's usual fare from this rather lame era - and its vitality can now be seen to have foreshadowed the renaissance in quality (and critical appraisal) which they witnessed soon after, beginning with THE LITTLE MERMAID (1989). The anthropomorphic characters (which generally swamp the humans - Fagin is very much a good guy here, if still pitiful) are quite nicely fitted to class stereotypes: hence, we get a Hispanic chihauha (with an eye for the ladies) and a posh bulldog, among others, while Dodger is basically an updated version of Tramp and Oliver himself a cute but very brave kitten. The familiar and involved plot is all but jettisoned (especially in its second half) in favor of boisterous action and character comedy, with a bouncy score and rapid pace to match. In the end, it proved surprisingly good - and, at just 74 minutes, short enough not to overstay its welcome.

Truth be told, Oliver & Company isn't one of Walt Disney Studio's most compelling titles, but it's still plenty of fun. It has a wonderful soundtrack featuring great talents such as Billy Joel, Bette Midler, Huey Lewis, and Ruth Pointer. All of the musical numbers in the film are well-staged, nicely animated, and have fun tunes to carry them along. "Why Should I Worry?", Billy Joel's song and the film's show-stopper of sorts, is the most popular. While I like that song a lot, my personal favorites are "Once Upon a Time in New York City", the opening song sung by Huey Lewis, and "Perfect Isn't Easy", Bette Milder's song to go along with the character she voices: Georgette, a spoiled poodle.

The story itself isn't quite as strong as it could've been (which is why I award the movie an eight as opposed to a nine or a ten), but it still offers a lot of sweet, charming, heart-filled, and suspenseful moments. The characters also aren't *all* the way there, but they're still good as they are, and their voice actors do their jobs well. Each character has traits that make them appealing, even if they aren't the strongest characters in the Disney canon.

I'll end by saying that Oliver & Company is a very enjoyable Disney feature. Children will certainly be entertained by it, especially if they love cats, dogs, and fun musical numbers. Adults can enjoy it too if they appreciate the worlds of animation and Disney enough. Because of the film's level of fun and charm, I give it an eight. If the story and characters had been even better, I would've given it a nine or a ten.

Inspired by the timeless Charles Dickens novel , "Oliver Twist" , Oliver & Company is the thrilling animated classic full of action , friendship , courage , and heart that starts when Oliver , the orphaned kitten , is befriended by Dodger , the cool dog from a New York pack of pickpocket pooches. Soon , Oliver is lovingly adopted by Jenny , a lonely little rich girl , until tough-guy Sykes and his Doberman sidekicks , Desoto and Roscoe , try to keep Jenny and Oliver apart. Now it's up to Oliver, Dodger , and all his colorful , street-smart canine pals to outwit the villains and rescue the girl in an electrifying chase that will leave you breathless!Filled with laughter , loyalty , and great music by Billy Joel , Huey Lewis , and Bette Midler. Oliver and Company is family fun you'll love watching over and over again!

9/10

"Oliver and Company" is a wonderful and fun adventure! Despite a by-the-numbers plot, the film does its best to provide the fun and adventure that it can. Adding to the fun and adventure is the animation and, especially, the really charming animals. Come on, who does not want an Oliver toy!