Movie Details
Starring
Genre
More details
See more movie reviews

Dr. Dolittle 3 (PG, 2006)

common sense media says

Girl inherits dad's animal magnetism; tweens & up.

parents & educators say
See all 5 reviews | Review it

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this third installment in the movie series focuses on a teen struggling to fit in with the "cool kids" at her school, most of whom ridicule her because she can talk to animals. While tweens may not relate to her particular gifts, they could see similarities between her social struggles and theirs. The movie is filled with positive messages about appreciating your own abilities, respecting differences of character, and finding strength and support from the right friends. The lack of questionable subject matter and presence of a diverse group of characters combine to make this a great choice for tweens.

Positive messages: The cast is multicultural, and most of the main characters are African American. The two prominent adult figures are patient and understanding with teens, helping them work out issues productively. Multiple jokes are made at the expense of an overweight teen, though they're played for laughs and he even adds to them at times. Mild potty humor includes flatulence from animals. The movie includes obvious messages about teamwork and self-respect.
Violence & scariness: Dude ranch students wrestle cattle and pigs and try out bull-riding simulators, which toss them around a bit. A couple of characters are thrown from broncos, but there's no injury from the falls. One girl hurts her hand hitting a gate in frustration.
Sexy stuff: Some female characters wear skimpy tops and short shorts. There's one very brief scene with a kiss, and the few instances of sexual innuendo relate to a rooster who's lost his groove with the ladies in the henhouse.
Language: "Oh my God" is as strong as it gets.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: A teen is shown holding a bottle of alcohol at a party and is blamed for spiking the punch (when in fact a mischievous monkey did it). Teens at a club drink something that looks like beer.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on Dr. Dolittle 3

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

Families can talk about friendship. How do you define friendship? What traits do you look for in friends? How can friendship be strained by the stresses of popularity? Who determines what defines the "in" crowd? How would you react if one of your friends was shunned by the cool kids? What if you were given the cold shoulder? Families can also discuss how this movie compares to the previous Dr. Dolittle movies. Which one do you like best?

What's the story?

What's the story?

Maya Dolittle (Kyla Pratt) wants what just about any 17-year-old girl wants: to fit in. She's finally on the verge of breaking through to the "A-list" of her high school's popularity gauge, and she couldn't be happier. With her sights set on a cute guy and her foot in the door to coolness, Maya feels she's finally on her way. But every time things seem to be falling into place, her genetics start working overtime against her. Since she inherited her veterinarian father's ability to communicate with animals, most people (including most of her peers) think she's off her rocker, and she's desperate to show them otherwise. When her mother (Kristen Wilson) ships her off to the Durango Ranch for a summer of cowgirl lessons to help her sort things out, Maya is determined to make a fresh start.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

DR. DOLITTLE 3 is the third installment in the movie series based loosely on the children's books by Hugh Loftling. Although this one lacks the star power of Eddie Murphy (who played Maya's father in Dr. Dolittle and Dr. Dolittle 2), it's the most family friendly of the trio, and Pratt gives a funny, feel-good performance as a teen struggling to balance her uniqueness with the pressures of popularity, all while tending to the issues of some very needy animals.

Tweens will likely pick up on similarities between Maya's social anxieties and their own issues with peers, and all viewers will notice the movie's strong positive messages about self-respect, friendship, and teamwork. Parents won't miss the crude humor that plagued the first two movies; here, kid-friendly comedy like slimy egg fights in a henhouse and a flatulent horse ensure that the movie is fun and never boring.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Director: Rich Thorne
Cast: John Amos, Kristen Wilson, Kyla Pratt
Genre: Comedy
Run time: 98 minutes
Theatrical release: April 25, 2006
DVD release: April 25, 2006
MPAA Rating: PG
MPAA explanation: some crude humor and language.
This review was written by Emily Ashby
 
 

Review It

 

Review Dr. Dolittle 3

Hang on! You need to be a member to post your review.
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines.
 

Most useful reviews by all members

saras like a puma
teen, 14 years old
 
i want to see it again i laughted so much i creid because of the humore in
Flag as inappropriate 
was this review useful?
helped me decide (12) | had useful details (10) | read my mind (12)
scott2323
teen, 17 years old
 
this movie is pretty dumb
i thought this movie was bad because its not like the first 2 at all. She goes to a ranch and does dumb stuff. This movie doesnt even have eddie murphy in it which kinda ruins it. She really isnt even a doctor.
Flag as inappropriate 
was this review useful?
helped me decide (11) | had useful details (9) | read my mind (10)
masteralex
kid, 10 years old
8
 
it's great dr dolittle is awesome
Flag as inappropriate 
was this review useful?
helped me decide (9) | had useful details (8) | read my mind (12)
courtney stanhope
teen, 14 years old
14
 
spectacular
it is really good especially the one who plays maya and bo they are so cute together
Flag as inappropriate 
was this review useful?
helped me decide (8) | had useful details (9) | read my mind (9)
angelampayor
adult
 
Flag as inappropriate 
was this review useful?
helped me decide (9) | had useful details (9) | read my mind (8)

More reviews ...

An independent voice for families
Age-appropriate reviews
Advice on the big issues
 

vote now

Will you see Dr. Dolittle 3?

Won't miss it
On the fence
No way

Already seen it? What do you think?

I recommend it
It's a pass
 

Great alternatives handpicked by our editors

Browse more movies
About our rating system
ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age
Our child development rating guidelines