Dolittle isn’t the hot mess that other outlets have made it out to be, though it isn’t going to be winning any Oscars either. In tone, quality, and pacing, Dolittle is somewhere in the middle.
*Spoiler Free
Dolittle is a movie that struggles to stay focused and goes off task too frequently, but finds hints of redeeming qualities along its journey. If you like Robert Downey Jr., you’ll enjoy the movie. If you like talking animals, you’ll enjoy the movie. Just don’t gaze upon the film too critically. On the flip side, in an age of epic space operas, sequels, and shared universes that span 20-plus connected stories, it was nice to go into a theater and know I’d be watching a singular, one-off movie that wasn’t going to require my unwavering focus or imagination. Dolittle allowed me to kick back, relax, and just enjoy the show.
Dolittle tells the story of Dr. John Dolittle, the famed yet eccentric doctor who has the ability to speak to animals. He is wisped away from his solitude when news reaches Dolittle Manor that the Queen of England is suffering from an unknown, life-threatening illness. There isn’t one aspect of the story that is remotely surprising, and nothing will catch you off guard. The film’s sub-par editing creates an odd pace, where scenes appear to be almost cut short when transitioning to the next. Speaking of transitions, the film’s first act in particular was noticeable when it came to the way one scene would blend into the next. Instead of a general smooth slide or wipe, things felt more copy and paste than they should have (I’m sorry, you won’t be able to un-notice it now).
From an emotional standpoint, the movie never really connects with the audience, despite its noble efforts at depicting meaningful themes. Dolittle tragically lost his wife, the source of his joy in life and cause for Dolittle’s chosen solitude. As horrific as that is, there are possibly just one or two moments at best in which you sympathize with the character. This is not so much due to RDJ’s performance, but because of the lack of focus and clear direction of the story’s trajectory. Rather than fill in the blanks with more subtle scenes that add meaningful emotion or depth to the characters and their path, larger action sequences hop from one to the next. Tommy Stubbins, Dolittle’s apprentice of sorts, has a hard time hunting at the film’s onset and is criticized by his father and brother, only for this subplot to be completely forgotten past the first act.
If there is one particular saving grace in the movie, it’s the wonderful ensemble cast that provides the voices of the animals and finds a nice chemistry with Downey Jr. RDJ’s ability to connect and work with larger casts is likely in no small part due to his larger than life performances as Iron Man in the Marvel CInematic Universe throughout the past decade or so. My one (fake) gripe comes with the fact that Tom Holland voices a dog and not a spider, a missed opportunity if there ever was one. The impressive cast includes the likes of Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody), Emma Thompson, John Cena, Kumail Nanjani (The Big Sick, MIB: International), Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Far From Home), Craig Robinson (The Office), Jason Mantzoukas (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), and Ralph Fiennes, just to name a few. The comedic timing of the majority of the voice cast was well received.
It’s unfair to think this way and though it had no bearing on this review, it’s funny to think of the first post-Avengers follow-up films for RDJ and Chris Evans (Captain America). Evans starred in Rian Johnson (Star Wars: The Last Jedi)’s critically acclaimed and wildly successful Knives Out, while RDJ’s Dolittle is prone to the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to public reception. Dolittle suffers from a mild identity crisis. I’m not really sure who the film is for. The movie is tonally different from the trailers that were released, which appeared to make this a story of inspiration and emotion, whereas the movie we received is more silly and eccentric. Though films like this are generally geared towards the younger crowd, my thought would be that it targets the 8-10 year old range. The only issue is the because the film jumps around so much, it might not hold that group’s attention.
Despite Dolittle’s shortcomings and criticisms, it’s a movie that finds a way to be considered charming in limited, brief moments. The problem is those moments are far too infrequent. Dolittle is a movie worth seeing, just not until it comes to Redbox.
Guest critic Josiah LeRoy is the founder of the The Geekiverse. He is a movie fanatic, avid gamer, and loves all things geek.