Zookeeper

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, Zookeeper is available in Australia on FilmBox+ and MGM Amazon Channel, and in the US on Starz Apple TV Channel right now. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. Its 5/10 TMDB score, built from 1,787 ratings, reflects a title that consistently delivers. Kevin James is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. Put it on tonight on FilmBox+ and see for yourself.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Zookeeper is worth clearing space for. Zookeeper does what great comedies rarely manage — it is actually funny, consistently, across the whole run. Kindhearted Griffin Keyes is one of the best-loved caretakers at the Franklin Park Zoo, but he's more comfortable with the animals than with females of his own species as proven by his failed marriage proposal to the self-absorbed Stephanie several years ago. The animals have listened to Griffin pine over her for years and, after she reappears in his life, they decide to help Griffin rekindle the relationship and become the alpha male she wants him to be. They inadvertently reveal their secret ability to talk and, after Griffin's initial shock, teach him the rules of courtship, animal-style. Kevin James and Rosario Dawson lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2011. What keeps Zookeeper from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, Zookeeper respects your intelligence. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Kevin James's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.