As a lifelong animal lover and die-hard Robert Downey Jr. fan, I jumped on the chance to see an early screening of Dolittle. I brought my husband, my eight-year-old daughter Noelle, and my four-year-old son Lucas to see the film. We pre-gamed the night before by watching the 1998 version of Dr. Dolittle starring Eddie Murphy, which was hilarious and heartwarming. The kids were very happy to hear we were seeing another Dolittle movie the next day.
The movie starts with the sad story of how Dr. John Dolittle’s wife has died while searching for the special tree that bore fruit with magical healing powers. Years after her passing, he lives alone on his giant manor with only his animals as company. One day, a young boy comes to his manor with an injured squirrel. Soon after, young Lady Rose arrives with news that Queen Victoria has fallen ill and has specifically requested Dolittle to save her.
The rest of the movie is a grand adventure, marked with one daring feat after another. Dolittle, his self-appointed apprentice Tommy Stubbins, and his fantastic group of creatures embark on the journey of a lifetime to save the Queen. Of the many fantastic scenes, my favorite is when Dolittle and his trusty polar bear (who wears a beanie because he’s always cold, of course), dive into the ocean and attach a harness to a giant whale who steers them away from dangerous enemies. Then there is the fierce dragon that kills and eats everyone who crosses her path, yet whom Dolittle manages to compassionately understand and heal.
In the new film, Dr. Dolitte speaks to and understands animals through their languages (barking in dogs, chirping in birds, etc) rather than hear them in his language as other versions have portrayed. Through the course of the movie, his apprentice even starts to learn the animals’ many languages. I appreciate that speaking to the animals is something you can learn if you have the patience to really listen.
My eight-year-old was enamored with the movie the entire time, while my four-year-old had a few moments of boredom when there was a bit too much dialogue for him. But just as soon as he would start fidgeting, the scene would change and he would be wrapped up in the fantasy again.
The message I took home after watching Dolittle is to hold those we’ve lost in our hearts while also giving ourselves permission to create new relationships and memories. I highly recommend this movie for the whole family. As a family, there are movies we rent and watch once and movies we purchase and watch a million times. Dolittle will definitely be purchased and well-loved in our household for years to come.
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