The Robert Downey Jr. Blockbuster That’s A Rare Disappointment 

Long before Robert Downey Jr. came along, Dr. Dolittle was the most popular character from the novels by Hugh Lofting, who wrote several children’s books in the early 1900s; it’s a series around the famous Dr., who could communicate with animals. Of course, most readers will have grown up watching Eddie Murphy as Dr. Dolittle in multiple films that were funny, heartwarming, and easy to enjoy. Thus, it is deeply sad that this latest version does not come anywhere close. 

Robert Downey Jr.’s Dolittle was released in 2020, right as the pandemic was rearing its ugly head, but theaters were still open. It bombed at the box office, losing close to $100 million by most accounts, and critics skewered the film as boring, dull, and lacking in the ability to live up to its star power.

Indeed, to name just a few names, Robert Downey Jr. stars as Dr. John Dolittle and is supported by Michael Sheen, Antonio Banderas, Ralph Fiennes, Tom Holland, and Emma Thompson. That barely scratches the surface of live-action roles and the voices of the animals in this film. 

Robert Downey Jr.’s Dolittle is a story about a now reclusive Dr. who has lost his wife and is hiding away in his animal sanctuary with his only friends, the animals. When he finds that his beneficiary, Queen Victoria, is dying and has sent for his help, he finally leaves his home to help her, taking along a few of his furry, flying, and four-legged friends along with a young boy, Tommy, who hopes to learn from him.

From there, the story takes many twists and turns to see the queen go on a quest for a healing tincture and see an angry king (Banderas). But, for all its travels and exploits, the film never quite takes off. 

The presence of Octavia Spencer, Kumail Nanjiani, and Craig Robinson alone should have made for some raucous laughs. But the jokes fall flat. At best, you might find yourself smirking a bit at some off-color humor, but that’s only right before you fall asleep from the longevity of it all.

And I can’t even say that Robert Downey Jr.’s Dolittle is too long. At just over an hour and a half, what should be a swashbuckling adventure like Jumanji or Jungle Cruise ends up making you wonder if the good doctor should have just stayed home and played with his animals. That might have been more entertaining. 

Of course, the brilliant Robert Downey Jr., who is so great in so many roles, seems like he’s phoning it in Dolittle. He’s a little bit Tony Stark and a little bit Sherlock Holmes so you find yourself wishing he had opted out of this film, which came just on the heels of his last appearance (that we knew of at the time) in the MCU.

Maybe he was tired. Maybe he needed a new role, something fresh. And maybe he thought Dolittle was it. In reality, it turns out Oppenheimer was the vehicle he was looking for, a far cry from a doctor who talks to animals. 

REVIEW SCORE

It would have been enough to have a bad Robert Downey Jr. movie and walk away, but the fact that Dolittle had so much potential is what makes the whole situation so disappointing. Still, over 10,000 audience reviews have given the film a 76 percent positive review. And while I’m usually with the people, I have to go with the critics on this one, who have it at only 15 percent positive. Here’s hoping filmmakers can leave well enough alone with this story from now on.  

Dolittle is streraming on Amazon’s Freevee.