The film opens with a prologue in which Griffin has arranged for an elaborate marriage proposal to Stephanie (Leslie Bibb, "Iron Man's" Christine Everhart), on horseback on a beach with a message in a bottle, a Mariachi band and fireworks. But the film does more right than it does wrong. And although I've personally never been to the Franklin Park Zoo, I'm pretty sure you can't see the Boston city skyline in the distance from the entrance. and then mysteriously jumps back to the head of the Boston Common at the steps across from the State House.
And for those who like their filmic geography to be realistic, there's a bicycle chase that starts in the Boston Public Garden, continues onto Commonwealth Ave. Of course, you have to get beyond things like Kevin James being a love interest between the gorgeous Rosario Dawson and trophy object Leslie Bibb and the fact that there's a giant plug for TGI Friday's, but James is likable enough to just about get away with it (Friday's is worked into the plot - badly - as a sort of Shangri-La fantasy of Bernie the Gorilla's (voice of Nick Nolte), even though when he finally gets there he orders off menu). But what I found was something with real warmth, a concern for animal welfare, and, most amazingly, a film that didn't have a single fart or poop joke in it (as was confirmed by a colleague). Dolittle," so it seemed to have less of a chance now. Then there are the five screenwriters and just the concept of Kevin James and talking animals. Last summer, the "Zookeeper" production severely restricted my usual parking spots for film screenings, so I was already predisposed to dislike it. REVIEW CAVEAT: As there were competing, overlapping screenings, I was only able to view the first 52 minutes of "Zookeeper," so this review is my impression of the film without having seen the ending.and I was surprised by how enjoyable what I saw was.