Animated take on Dickens' "Oliver Twist" from the Disney Studios is marked by an impressive list of star-voices in the cast but hurt overall by unmemorable characters and fairly colorless songs by a myriad group of songwriters and performers. These adventures of an orphaned kitten and a streetwise dog are not particularly witty--and the cuteness quickly becomes wearing--though it's likely very young children should enjoy it (older kids may start squirming after 30mns or so). The screenplay (credited to Jim Cox, Tim Disney, and James Mangold from treatments by no less than 19 other writers!) relies heavily on the panache of the guest celebrities--such as Bette Midler, Billy Joel, Robert Loggia, Richard Mulligan, and Cheech Marin--who do give the movie some energy. Director George Scribner constructs a nifty finale; however, neither the assembled talents nor the musical numbers are especially marvelous, and the picture quickly fades from memory. ** from ****
Review of Oliver & Company
