Review of Osmosis Jones (2001) by Dade M — 26 Feb 2018

Osmosis Jones.

What's to say about Osmosis Jones that Hasn't been said?

Let me start out by saying: it's pretty decent. It has flaws, but it has charm too.

While most people seem to have an issue with the live action portion of this movie, and I'll admit it is not the most energetic, it does have an overall charm of it's own.

The Chemistry between Bill Murray as Frank Detorre, and Elena Franklin as Shane Detorre, Frank's 10-year-old daughter, is still decent.

Both Murray and Franklin do a decnt job and reflecting the father/daughter dynamic.

The idea behind Shane being concern about her father's health because of her mother having died. She therefores tries to influence her father the best she can to make better eating choices.

Which is somehting a child would do. while it seems muddled at first. it does have merit and tries to come through the best it can without being preachy.

The Live action portions are hammy, sometimes inconsistant and can put one's patience to the test as a movie goer. Which, let's be honest is the scripts fault.

However, the script DOES try to have the live action segment compliment the animated segment the best it can by having scenes lead into each other to propell the story.

The only downside to this is that while the transitions between the animted characters and Frank work out weel, some of the other live interactions are bland.

The animation portion of the movie however overshadows the live action segents.

Much like Frank and Shane; Ozzy, Drix, Leah ,Thrax and SOME of the other members of the city of "Frank" are fun, colorful and easy to identify.

Chris Rock brings his wise cracking energetic personality to Ozzy, and when the story requires it, Rock is able to bring the serious and sensitive sides of Jones to light.

David Hyde Pierce seems to be stereotyped here as Drix because of his (then) Fraiser fame.

Thankfully works here as Drix is more serious and technical in opposition to Jones's aforementioned edginess. Ozzy and Drix do give each other a good counterbalance to each other.

Brandy Norwood as Leah Estrogen does a good job as well.

Leah is initally standoffish to Jones, and a slightly antagonistic.

Which works well for her character as Jones is sometimes too much for the viewer. And as such, Norwood gives Leah the credibility that she is not to be taken lightly, or be under estimated as Ozzy often tries to make moves on her, only to have them backfire and blow up in his face.

One of Leah's best parts is when she acts as Frank's conscience and it leads to minor character development for both her and Frank, showing that she isn't hard boiled as she seems. And Frank isn't as one-dimensional as he seems. As he does indeed care fro his daughter.

Lawrence Fishburne as Thrax (a pun on anthrax) offers his voice to a rather predictable antagonist who's job is to "take over the world" - the world being Frank.

The real standout part of the Thrax character is that Fishburne has a LOT of fun with his character especially since Thrax seems like a throwback to the archetype of the 1980's villain.

Fishburne brigs a manical edge to Thrax and leaves the viewer wondering if Thrax is really all there.

It is good to see Fishburne as Thrax, as most people only often recall him as "Morpheus" from the Matrix Trilogy, because not only does he have fun with the voice, it shows Fishburne's range as an actor by giving Thrax a bit of sterness and dedication to acheiving his manical goals.

And I think this works because we see this down the road in Man Of Steel, where Fishburne has to be a bit of a hard ass as Perry White.

And Thrax at times, in his relentless goal does show that too.

Additional voices provided by William Shanter As Mayor Phlegmming and Ron Howard as Tom Colonic, Phlegmming's rival for the mayoralty of the City of Frank. Both are ok, but not really given much dimension because of the weakness of the over all script.

So while the over all story is slightly blah, it is enjoyable. the artwok/animation isconsistent, the live action scenes are bearable, some of the humor is a bit over the top, but funnier once you get older.

Over all it is a pretty decent movie and worth the occassional time to time viewing.