Oliver & Company

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Oliver & Company

G

Released Nov 18, 1988

1h 12m

Kids & Family

Adventure

Animation

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Popcornmeter

53%

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57 Reviews

62%

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50,000+ Ratings

In this animated update of the classic "Oliver Twist" tale, Oliver (Joey Lawrence) is an orphaned kitten taken in by a gang of thieving dogs, led by cavalier canine Dodger (Billy Joel) and owned by down-and-out pickpocket Fagin (Dom DeLuise). While pulling a job in the streets of New York City, Oliver winds up being adopted by a rich girl, Jenny (Natalie Gregory), and landing on easy street. But through a series of events, a loan shark threatens the peaceful new arrangement.

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Critics Consensus

Predictable and stodgy, Oliver & Company isn't one of Disney's best, though its colorful cast of characters may be enough to entertain young viewers looking for a little adventure.

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Robert Garrett

Boston Globe

Aug 23, 2022

Full Review

Charles Solomon

Los Angeles Times

The cartoon action will delight young children, while older ones, who usually reject animation as "kid stuff," will enjoy the rock songs and hip characters, especially the brash Tito.

Mar 27, 2019

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Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

[T]he first animated feature from the new Disney studio regime, which is promising one such picture each year. Their first effort, measured against the Disney legacy of classics, is not up to the highest standard.

Rated: 2.5/4

Mar 27, 2019

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Carson Timar

ButteredPopcorn

Oliver & Company is so concerned with creating a sense of energy that it loses focus on the fundamentals of what makes an enjoyable viewing experience.

Dec 24, 2023

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Jack Garner

Gannett News Service

The film's combination of a humorous script, fast pace, clever gags, superb casting of well-known voices and entertaining musical score make Oliver & Company the most enjoyable Disney film of the modern era for viewers of any age.

Rated: 10/10

Aug 23, 2022

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Beth Dunlop

Miami Herald

An instant children’s classic, along the lines of Lady and the Tramp and 101 Dalmatians. It’s heartwarming and entertaining, a thorough pleasure, even for very young children.

Rated: 4/4

Aug 23, 2022

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Danel C

Not bad for the best is the villain the animation not the ultra god is god in my opinion recommend this movie my is 6/10 in rotten tomatoes my opinion is 88/100 for not bad

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

12/08/24

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Nick S

It was good with a good soundtrack but nothing spectacular.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/05/24

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Garrett B

Solid. Not the best Disney film, but good animation and music

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/07/24

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Dale R

Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, but with cats and dogs. I haven’t read Oliver Twist, but I do know the basic premise of the story. This does follow the book to a point, but sets the scene in 1980s New York City. I’ve seen a lot of complaints about the setting change and how that takes away from the movie, but I disagree. If it is set in 1800s London or 1980s New York, it is still a period piece and shouldn’t take away from the “timelessness” of the work. This is the last Disney animated movie to use the Xerox style of animation, and of those movies I think, character animation wise, this is the best one. I don’t like what they did with the backgrounds in this movie. They brought in some big names for the voices as well. Billy Joel plays Dodger and also wrote “Why Should I Worry?” (which is one of the best ear worms in Disney canon), Bette Midler plays Georgette, Ruth Pointer, of the Pointer Sisters, sings for Rita, Cheech Marin plays Tito and Joey Lawrence plays Oliver. Huey Lewis wrote and sang the opening number “Once Upon a Time in New York City”, and Barry Manilow co-wrote “Perfect Isn’t Easy”. Not sure why they made Oliver a cat instead of a puppy, since all the main characters are dogs. I think it would have made more sense within the story to have Dodger and Oliver the same species. Again I have a problem with the child character in this movie as with previous Disney movies. She is there to be cute and feel sorry for her, instead of being a fleshed out character that acts like a child would. The villain is standard, but his death scene is brutal and one of the best Disney villain deaths. Overall, I think this is a good movie and worth a watch, even with its flaws.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/07/24

Full Review

Ryland C

It doesn’t feel like Disney movie it feels like Warner Bros animation film. It’s tries to be entertaining but it kinda fails at that honestly. Billy Joel as Dodger wasn’t bad but he absolutely does not fit the Disney gem and/or icon. The animation is so stiff and scratchy and it’s hard to look at it. The song “Why should I worry?” Is the only GOOD song in the movie but the other songs in this movie are LAME. I wouldn’t recommend it.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

06/24/24

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Jarrod F

Oliver and Company is not very good cause it's boring and dull but it has cute moments.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

04/15/24

Full Review

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George Scribner

Director

Joey Lawrence

Oliver

Bette Midler

Georgette

Billy Joel

Dodger

Cheech Marin

Tito

Richard Mulligan

Einstein

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Synopsis

In this animated update of the classic "Oliver Twist" tale, Oliver (Joey Lawrence) is an orphaned kitten taken in by a gang of thieving dogs, led by cavalier canine Dodger (Billy Joel) and owned by down-and-out pickpocket Fagin (Dom DeLuise). While pulling a job in the streets of New York City, Oliver winds up being adopted by a rich girl, Jenny (Natalie Gregory), and landing on easy street. But through a series of events, a loan shark threatens the peaceful new arrangement.

Director: George Scribner
Screenwriter: James Mangold, Jim Cox, Tim Disney
Production Co: Walt Disney Productions
Rating: G
Genre: Kids & Family, Adventure, Animation
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 18, 1988, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 13, 2015
Runtime: 1h 12m
Sound Mix: Surround

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