Okay, I’ll admit that I groaned when I first saw the poster for Zookeeper, but after just one watch I have to admit this one isn’t as bad as it looks… actually I quite enjoyed it. The characters are good, the story is involving and there are enough laughs to keep you chuckling… what more could you want?
Griffen Keyes (Kevin James – The Dilemma, Grown Ups) feels he has the perfect life. He loves his job working at the zoo but unfortunately that was the one thing that stopped the ‘love-of-his-life’, Stephanie (Leslie Bibb – A Good Old Fashioned Orgy, TV’S Funny or Die Presents…) from marrying him. Now, five years ago Stephanie is back in his life and once again zoo vet, Kate (Rosario Dawson – Ten Year, Girl Walks Into A Bar) and the animals, including Bernie the Gorilla (Nick Nolte – Warrior, Arthur), Donald the Monkey (Adam Sandler – Just Go With It, Grown Ups) and Joe the Lion (Sylvester Stallone – The Expendables, Rambo), are worried about whether their friend will chose Stephanie and the Zoo… and the worse thing is that it is the animals that help Griffen try to attract Stephanie back into his life.
It’s hard to pinpoint what exactly makes Zookeeper so much fun, it really does feel like a guilty pleasure. The screenwriters just seem to hit the nail on the head with enough laughs to keep the audience laughing and characters that are so lovable that you find yourself barracking for Griffen while despising Stephanie. Add that to the fact that the animals actually have personalities of their own and aren’t just talking heads and you soon begin to realize why Zookeeper is so appealing.
The voice actors do a wonderful job as the animals; they are sensationally cast, while the ‘human’ cast also do a wonderful job. Kevin James is perfect for the role of Griffen, and it’s good to see him a role that isn’t lame while Rosario Dawson reminds Hollywood while she should be cast in more romance films. Even Ken Jeong (The Hangover: Part II, TV’S Community) and Donnie Walhberg (TV’S Blue Bloods & In Plain Sight) get the chance to shine in small roles.
Zookeeper maybe a guilty pleasure but it is still a pleasure nonetheless. Even better, it’s the kind of movie that the whole family can enjoy. The trailer and poster may not promise much but Zookeeper is certainly worth a look.
Year: 2011
Director: Frank Coraci
Stars: Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, Leslie Bibb, Donnie Wahlberg, Ken Jeong, Nick Nolte, Adam Sandler, Sylvester Stallone, Cher, Judd Apatow, Jon Favreau, Faizon Love, Maya Rudolph
Classification: PG
Runtime: 102 mins
Rating: 
Available on DVD from 18th January, 2012