Doctor Dolittle

Right now you can watch Doctor Dolittle in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on Disney Plus — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. With 3,318 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Eddie Murphy is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. Start it on Disney Plus whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Doctor Dolittle is worth clearing space for. Sharp writing and a well-matched ensemble are what separate Doctor Dolittle from the crowd. A successful physician and devoted family man, John Dolittle seems to have the world by the tail, until a long suppressed talent he possessed as a child, the ability to communicate with animals is suddenly reawakened with a vengeance! Now every creature within squawking distance wants the good doctor's advice, unleashing an outrageous chain of events that turns his world upside down! Eddie Murphy and Ossie Davis lead a cast with the timing to make it work. It hit screens in 1998. The timing in Doctor Dolittle is precise enough that even the throwaway lines land on a second watch. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

If you need a comedy that actually makes you laugh, Doctor Dolittle is a strong candidate. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Eddie Murphy anchors an ensemble with real chemistry. Genuinely funny, consistently, across the whole run.