101 Dalmatians

Before it becomes consumed by its overtly slapstick elements, 101 Dalmatians actually comes off as an entertaining, surprisingly charming update of the Disney’s 1961 animated classic. There’s little doubt that the bulk of credit for the movie’s mild success belongs to Jeff Daniels and Joely Richardson, as the actors effortlessly (and affably) transform their admittedly cornball characters into figures worth caring about and rooting for. The storyline follows newlywed couple Roger (Daniels) and Anita (Richardson) as they unwittingly find themselves saddled with a whole litter of dalmatian puppies, with complications ensuing after the villainous Cruella De Vil (Glenn Close) sets her sights on the animals and subsequently dispatches a pair of bumbling crooks (Hugh Laurie’s Jasper and Mark Williams’ Horace) to retrieve them. The meet-cute between Roger and Anita – and their resulting relationship – proves instrumental in initially offsetting the almost eye-rollingly silly bent of John Hughes’ screenplay, although it’s certainly impossible to understate the effectiveness of Close’s gleefully over-the-top work as Cruella. The inclusion of such elements essentially assures that the film holds appeal for both children and adults, yet there lamentably reaches a point at which Hughes, in emphasizing the dogs’ escape, places the focus entirely on lowbrow, hopelessly juvenile antics that’ll undoubtedly leave younger viewers rolling in the aisles. And while some of this stuff is admittedly quite funny (eg Jasper and Horace’s encounter with an electric fence), the relentless barrage of forcefully kid-friendly sequences does become increasingly tough to stomach as the movie limps towards its expectedly upbeat finale. Still, 101 Dalmatians manages to just squeak by on the basis of its charismatic performance and periodically hilarious comedic interludes – though the film’s lack of timelessness results in a distinctly disposable sort of vibe.

**1/2 out of ****