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![]() By Steve Davis MARCH 29, 1999: D: Maurice Joyce; with the voices of Thomas McHugh, Fred Newman, Chris Phillips, Constance Shulman (G, 77 min.)
Doug Funnie is, in some respects, the Charlie Brown of the Nineties. Warmhearted,
shy, and likable, he's frequently perplexed by the slings and arrows of adolescence,
particularly when it comes to a certain little red-haired girl. But unlike Charles
Schulz's character, Doug doesn't ponder theological and existential questions; his
dilemmas are on a much smaller scale. The Nickelodeon network has showcased several
smart animated series in the past few years, and Doug is probably the sweetest of
them all. A daydreamer who just wants to do the right thing, Doug is a great role
model for kids. The cynic might say that Doug is a white-bread idealization of today's
teenager because he's not every parent's nightmare. True, there's no edge to Doug
(his humor is corny, at best) but it's comforting and familiar. In Doug's 1st Movie,
Doug and his gang get full-screen treatment, but with limited success. The movie's
story is farfetched when compared to the television series' usual subjects: Doug
and his best friend, Skeeter, befriend a lovable lake monster (think Loch Nessie
meets E.T.) and must protect him from Mr. Bluff, the town tycoon who owns the polluted
body of water from which the creature came. (No doubt the name that they give to
the monster -- Herman Melville -- will go over the heads of most of the movie's viewers,
including some of the adults in the audience.) There's also a more traditional subplot
about Doug's frustrated attempts to woo Patti away from the clutches of an obnoxious
upperclassman in time for the Valentine Day's dance. Unfortunately, these narratives
don't devote nearly enough time to two of the series' most entertaining characters:
Doug's nutty dog, Pork Chop, and his sharp-tongued sister, Judy. Expanding the television's
half-hour format, by more than doubling it, is a little disconcerting; the longer
length (as well as the movie theatre setting) diminishes the intimacy of the time
spent with Doug and friends. Still, if you're a fan of creator Jim Jinkins' colorful
characters with purple faces and green hair, you'll overlook these things and enjoy
the movie for what it's worth. To borrow from Charles Schulz, you're a good man,
Doug Funnie.
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