Dr. Dolittle

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Dr. Dolittle

PG-13

1998

1h 25m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

44%

Tomatometer

50 Reviews

35%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

After a fender bender, Dr. John Dolittle (Eddie Murphy) gets back his childhood ability to converse with animals. But the gift turns out to be a mixed blessing when the good doctor finds himself besieged by boozing monkeys, injured owls and depressed lions who need his special assistance. When Dolittle's strange behavior catches the attention of his wife, Lisa (Kristen Wilson), he winds up in a mental institution. Luckily, he has some animal friends to help him out of his hairy situation.

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Critics Consensus

Doctor Dolittle finds some mirth in the novelty of wisecracking critters, but this family feature's treacly tone is made queasy by a reliance on scatological gags that undercut the intended warmth.

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Leonard Klady

Variety

Mar 26, 2009

Slim on story and rife with scatological jokes, the film may strike a chord with pre-teens but misses for an older crowd despite some nifty effects and broad humor.

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Derek Adams

Time Out

Jan 26, 2006

Murphy's likeable, the script's laden with a gaggle of one-liners, and there's even a vague message nestling beneath the zoological chaos.

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Neil Smith

BBC.com

Jul 24, 2001

3/5

Murphy himself is rather dull in the straight man role, and the jokes are pretty coarse for a family film. But it's certainly better than the lacklustre sequel, which finds Eddie playing second fiddle to a performing bear.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Sep 29, 2024

2.5/4

...a briskly-paced comedy that benefits from its raft of agreeable performances...

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Gary Wolcott

Tri-City Herald

Jun 20, 2023

4/5

This is a slick comedy that would be perfect for the whole family -- except for the ample use of bathroom humor... I will admit, though, that it does help make this remake of Dr. Dolittle a funny movie.

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Tim Brayton

Alternate Ending

Jan 17, 2020

1/5

The only thing that keeps this even a little bit tolerable is the superlative work by the Henson people.

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Robert P

@Superbad Sep 7, 2026

Not a great movie, thus my *2* star rating!

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Oz S

@Ozsoffy Jun 10, 2026

fully overcome a script that often feels unfocused and surprisingly silly. Many scenes seem to exist only to set up another talking-animal gag rather than move the story forward. For younger kids, there may be enough talking pets and slapstick humor to keep things moving. For everyone else, it’s a forgettable comedy that never rises above its gimmick. By the time the credits roll, there’s little to remember besides Eddie Murphy talking to a lot of animals.

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Blake- N

@PBSAniDom Apr 15, 2026

Dr. Dolittle is a film that ends up feeling very average despite a strong and interesting concept. The idea of a doctor who can talk to animals has a lot of comedic and storytelling potential, but the execution doesn’t fully deliver on it. The humor is inconsistent—some jokes land, but many feel predictable or overly simplistic. The plot is fairly thin and mostly serves as a setup for animal gags rather than a compelling story with real stakes. Eddie Murphy brings energy to the role, but even his performance can’t completely lift the material above "okay." Visually and technically, the film is fine for its time, but nothing stands out in a memorable way. It’s the kind of movie that’s easy to watch once, get a few laughs from, and then forget. Overall, Dr. Dolittle isn’t bad, but it’s not particularly good either. Solid 4/10, It sits firmly in the middle: a mediocre family comedy that had potential but doesn’t fully capitalize on it.

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Aaron M.

@Mattern23 Feb 24, 2026

Good movie alright story

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Damon G

@Dmoney420 Feb 22, 2026

My childhood favorite

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DZ E

@Ziggy88z Jan 4, 2026

86/100 I can't believe the hate.

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Betty Thomas

Director

Eddie Murphy

Dr. John Dolittle

Ossie Davis

Archer Dolittle

Oliver Platt

Dr. Mark Weller

Peter Boyle

Calloway

Richard Schiff

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Synopsis

After a fender bender, Dr. John Dolittle (Eddie Murphy) gets back his childhood ability to converse with animals. But the gift turns out to be a mixed blessing when the good doctor finds himself besieged by boozing monkeys, injured owls and depressed lions who need his special assistance. When Dolittle's strange behavior catches the attention of his wife, Lisa (Kristen Wilson), he winds up in a mental institution. Luckily, he has some animal friends to help him out of his hairy situation.

Director: Betty Thomas
Producer: John Davis, Joseph Singer, David T. Friendly
Screenwriter: Nat Mauldin, Larry Levin
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: 20th Century Fox
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 26, 1998, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 25, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $144.2M
Runtime: 1h 25m
Sound Mix: Surround

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