Working at Franklin Park Zoo is the perfect job for zookeeper Griffin Keyes. He can take care of the animals he loves and play with them, to their great delight. The only problem with the place is that it cost him the love of his life, a woman who would rather see him excel as a car salesman.
Mixed Reviews From the Masses
By the time I received Zookeeper for review from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, the gossip mill had been churning, and the news wasn't great. I knew that many didn't appreciate the movie when it was in theaters. Reminding ourselves to be objective, I watched the DVD with two tween boys, and the three of us were pleasantly surprised. We were entertained and had a lot of laughs together.
It was fun seeing the animals talk, and Griffin was a very like-able character. Actor Kevin James did a brilliant job portraying his confusion and insecurities without coming off as a total wuss. Yes, the plot was somewhat predictable, but that only added to the film from what I observed. The boys viewing the film kept talking to Griffin, telling him that he was going after the wrong woman.
The Pros and Cons of Zookeeper
As a mother and film reviewer for children, I appreciated many of the values taught throughout the film. The animals were well taken care of, and it only seemed fitting that they would come to the rescue. Personality, happiness, and genuine caring held more worth than materialism and mistreatment.
As a mother and film reviewer for children, there were also aspects I did not really appreciate. Walking away from the film, it's easy to just say that it was a fun way to spend a few hours. It isn't until you start picking it apart that you realize there was a lot of negative content. There was a lot of crude humor revolving on how to attract a woman, and there was also a lot of bathroom humor.
My kids thought their friends would really enjoy the film. My advice? Preview it. This one is borderline enough that some families will be fine with it while others won't be fine with it.
- Actors: Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, Adam Sandler, Sylvester Stallone
- DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
- Language: English
- Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
- Region: Region 1
- Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
- Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
- DVD Release Date: October 11, 2011
- Run Time: 102 minutes
- Rating 2/5
Christine Pollock - Christine Pollock loves to tell people that she watches TV for a living - a true fact that’s also appreciated by her ...
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