Please don't spend money on this.

just watch it!

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

Dr. John Dolittle (Eddie Murphy) can talk to the animals. He used to talk to his dog as a kid, but his father forced him to stop and sent away his dog. He has denied his ability ever since, and is now a family man and a doctor. Then he starts hearing voices from animals.Norm MacDonald does a great voice as the dog. It would be better to have a buddy comedy with the dog. Eddie Murphy has good chemistry with him. The other outstanding voicework is Chris Rock who does the gerbil Rodney.It's a generally a nice family movie with some crude humor. It works on that level. Just don't expect more. The potty humor may offend the parents, but there isn't anything to be concerned about.

Doctor Dolittle (1998)I was surprised to see this movie got such a low rating—it's not so bad. Oh, for sure it's not so great, either. But Eddie Murphy alone makes it something worth watching (he's one of the few perfect-pitch comedians out there). And the story, a 1920 classic for children, is something of its own.What falls apart is the slightly pushy sentimentalism and the generally mediocre secondary cast. That might be enough to push it into mediocrity, for sure, but it's not meant to be a deep classic, and it plays with the story nicely.That story is not just about a doctor (of the human type) who can hear animals talking. It's more about how society condemns hims and tries to help him with psycho-care. His bland wife (with the gorgeous eyes that get overplayed) is typical of his "friends," all nice people with distractions and no time for the possibility that he might, in fact, hear animals talk.The talking animals are of course great fun, from the rats to the tiger. This is the part of the movie that is meant to appeal across the board, and it does, including its good special effects. The feeling of family, not dysfunctional, is another bit of warmth, not to mention that the family is African American, a nice twist on the original story based on an English doctor.And though the movie was not liked by critics, it has made a third of a billion dollars, which speaks for itself. Not a masterpiece, and not even a classic, it still has wonderful aspects including a very wonderful basic concept.

What were you thinking? I'll admit the 1998 remake was entertaining, the way "Wings" is at one o'clock in the morning when nothing else is on, but, like "The Nutty Professor" Murphy's kid-friendly remake looks like a crime against cinema when placed next to its source material. First off, this is a musical with a beautiful score by Leslie Bricusse (who wrote the songs for "Willy Wonka" and "Stop the World, I Want To Get Off" with longtime partner Anthony Newley, who stars in this film). Also, Rex Harrison WORKED to learn to talk to animals. It wasn't a magical power he was born with, the man studied! He doesn't need cheesy (if well-cast) celebrity voiceovers and computer-generated mouth-movement to convince us, either. So if you want your kids to settle for second best and, as a result, drag you to mediocre kiddy-fair after mediocre kiddy-fair (which, in the age of "The Cat in the Hat" is pretty bad) let 'em have Eddie Murphy. But if you want your kids to have taste and appreciate a quality piece of film-making, rent this film immediately. Even if you have no kids, buy it, rent it, whatever.

Dr. John Dolittle (Eddie Murphy) is a gifted physician taking care of his human patients. He is so talented that offers of financial backing for he and his partners are coming in from unexpected sources. This is great news for John, his lovely wife and their two sweet daughters. However, when John was a boy, he could talk, truly, to his pet dog and spent time having long conversations with the canine. This made his father (Ossie Davis) so worried that he summoned the preacher to their house. There, the minister tried to call "the devil" out of John's body, an exercise that caused John's beloved dog to bite the holy man. When his father gave away the dog, John was heartbroken. No longer would he talk with animals. Yet, on a rainy night, Dr. John nearly hits a dog and brakes quickly, causing him to bump his head. Suddenly, John can hear what the animals around him are saying, much to his initial dismay. From rats to owls to tigers, animals are coming to ask for his help. With so much distraction, can he concentrate on his human medical treatments? This is a very nice family film, especially for those who adore animals. Murphy is great as the doctor and the rest of the cast is also nice, with Davis a pleasure to see and hear. Watch out, too, for Paul Giammati as the shrink summoned to examine John's mental health! The sets, costumes, and production are first rate. But, it is the lovable animals, and their human voices, that are the big stars. From the cute guinea pig to the lovable dog to the tipsy monkey, these critters are out to capture the hearts of the viewers. And, they succeed very, very well.