Wuchak

Fun, heartwarming dramedy with Kevin James, Rosario Dawson and… talking animals RELEASED IN 2011 and directed by Frank Coraci, "Zookeeper" is a dramedy/fantasy/romance starring Kevin James as a (you guessed it) zookeeper in Boston who enlists the aid of the zoo’s animals in his attempt to win the affections of model Stephanie (Leslie Bibb) or, maybe, fellow zoo-worker Kate (Rosario Dawson). This amusing and heartwarming movie succeeds where “Doctor Dolittle” (1998) barely gets by. It’s also more relevant to adults in light of the romantic shenanigans, albeit still family friendly. Everything hinges on whether or not the movie can pull off the animals as (talking) characters while keeping you invested in the drama. And it does, incredibly. I actually found myself caring about one of the animals in particular. As always, James makes for a likable every-guy protagonist. And Dawson is winsome. THE FILM RUNS 1 hour, 42 minutes and was shot in Franklin Park Zoo & Boston, Massachusetts, as well as Central Park, Manhattan (for the bike race). WRITERS: Jay Scherick, David Ronn, Kevin James, etc. GRADE: B+/A-