: Dr. John Dolittle (Eddie Murphy) is a successful physician who suppressed his childhood ability to talk to animals after a traumatic "intervention" by his father.
The Legacy of Dr. Dolittle (1998): How Eddie Murphy Reinvigorated a Classic
Over $294 million against a $71 million budget
The film features an impressive voice cast for the animals, making them as much a part of the comedy as the human actors. dr dolittle 1998
as a pair of bickering suburban pigeons. John Leguizamo as a sarcastic, street-wise rat.
: The film featured a prominent young Black cast, including Kyla Pratt and Raven-Symoné, creating a lasting on-screen representation that fans continue to celebrate. A Commercial Powerhouse
A fender bender with a stray dog (voiced by Chris Rock) causes a literal bump on the head, which seems to crack open the door to the subconscious that had kept his animal talking at bay. The seal is fully broken when his daughter Maya's hyper-intelligent, fast-talking guinea pig, Rodney (voiced by Chris Rock), suddenly starts offering unsolicited and explicit commentary on John's sex life. Soon, Dr. Dolittle is bombarded with a cacophony of animal voices everywhere he goes. There are a pair of quarrelsome, wisecracking rats (voiced by John Leguizamo and Reni Santoni), a neurotic, agoraphobic dog, and a group of pigeons who serve as the city's gossip columnists. Dolittle (1998): How Eddie Murphy Reinvigorated a Classic
He’s a Good Doctor, He’s a Great Talker: Revisitng Dr. Dolittle (1998)
: Rock brought high-octane, fast-talking energy to Rodney, generating some of the film’s most memorable and frequently quoted lines.
: The narrative eventually shifts toward the ethical treatment of animals, as Dolittle uses his unique talent to solve medical problems other veterinarians cannot. : The film featured a prominent young Black
Murphy plays Dolittle not as a saintly animal lover, but as a selfish, arrogant jerk who is furious that his perfect life is being ruined by a talking squirrel. His exasperation is the core of the comedy.
John’s perfectly ordered life is upended when he nearly hits a stray dog with his car. The dog barks, "Watch where you're going, damn fool!" —and suddenly, a long-dormant childhood gift comes rushing back. John can understand and talk to animals.