Doug's First Movie (1999)

26% of critics liked it
(34 reviews)
41% of users liked it
(7,022 ratings)

Doug Funnie and his friends from Bluffington make the leap from TV to the big screen in the animated comedy Doug's 1st Movie, based on the long-running children's series. Doug (voiced by Thomas McHugh) is a good-natured 12-year-old who is chronically infatuated with his classmate Patti Mayonnaise… More Doug Funnie and his friends from Bluffington make the leap from TV to the big screen in the animated comedy Doug's 1st Movie, based on the long-running children's series. Doug (voiced by Thomas McHugh) is a good-natured 12-year-old who is chronically infatuated with his classmate Patti Mayonnaise (voiced by Constance Shulman). Doug's best friend Skeeter (voiced by Fred Newman) is convinced there's a monster in Bluffington's Lucky Duck Lake. Surprisingly enough, it turns out Skeeter is right -- pollutants dumped in the lake by cranky factory owner Bill Bluff (voiced by Doug Preis) have spawned a large but thankfully friendly beast Doug and Skeeter name Herman Melville. Doug and Skeeter both want to protect Herman -- Doug so he can look cool in front of Patti, and Skeeter so he can prove the damage Bluff is doing to the environment -- but that isn't so simple when Bluff sends his hired guns to track down the monster. Doug creator Jim Jenkins served as co-producer for this film adaptation, which like the TV series was created by the Jumbo Pictures studios. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: G, 1 hr. 17 min.
Directed By: Maurice Joyce (II), Jim Jenkins
Written By: Ken Scarborough
Genres: Action & Adventure, Animation, Kids & Family, Special Interest

In Theaters: Mar 26, 1999 Wide
On DVD: Sep 21, 1999

Critic Reviews

Joe Leydon, Variety
Little more than a typical TV segment writ large for the mutiplexes.
Jeff Millar, Houston Chronicle
The film hasn't much entertainment value for those much over the age of 10. There's not a thing in the world wrong with that.
Peter Stack, San Francisco Chronicle
A sweetly spoofy, thoughtful animated feature, sure to please its preteen target audience.
Anita Gates, New York Times
Not inspired children's entertainment, but it has a certain charm.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
A new nadir in animated entertainment.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Rugrats it ain't.
Common Sense Media Editors, Common Sense Media
Doug saves a lake from a polluting monster.
Maitland McDonagh, TV Guide's Movie Guide
It's refreshingly non-violent, unflashy, not smart alecky and mercifully free of insipid songs.
Wally Hammond, Time Out
These spin-offs remain animation on the cheap, and none yet -- straitjacketed by fidelity to its respective series -- has attained the density of image and kineticism of design of the art form's true originals.
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Join me in praying that Doug's 2nd Movie never happens.
Cathy Beheler, Palo Alto Weekly
For even the little ones in the audience, Doug's First Movie will feel long and drawn out.
John R. McEwen, Film Quips Online
If you like Doug in 15-minute segments, you'll probably like him all right for 77 minutes.
Margaret A. McGurk, Cincinnati Enquirer
No harm done, really, but nothing of lasting value either.
Scott Renshaw, rec.arts.movies.reviews
Though Ken Scarborough's script is hardly heavy on adult references, it does feel slightly smarter than most cartoon scripts.
Dustin Putman, DustinPutman.com
I was in constant enjoyment as I watched it.
Eugene Novikov, Film Blather
My advice is to see this film only in case of extenuating circumstances.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Pleasant but hopelessly vanilla.

Read all 17 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Michael E

one of the earliest disney films i ever saw, and it still is great to watch
Phil H

Same problem as 'Hey Arnold!' Im afraid, the cartoon was great in its little 20min/25min slots but when stretched out into a film it just loses that special something. This again looks just as nice as the cartoon with little computer touch ups, all characters present and… More
Same problem as 'Hey Arnold!' Im afraid, the cartoon was great in its little 20min/25min slots but when stretched out into a film it just loses that special something. This again looks just as nice as the cartoon with little computer touch ups, all characters present and correct with no changes and a basic slightly dull plot. 'Hey Arnold!' was always better than Doug though as was Rugrats, Doug always came third outta that three haha enjoyable stuff though.
Coxxie M

yet another childhood memory, one that i actually wouldnt mind getting back into. the thing i remember about this show is on one episode, Doug had a zit. and on a cartoon, that just looks cool for some reason, so i couldnt wait to be a teenager and have zits. then girls started having… More
yet another childhood memory, one that i actually wouldnt mind getting back into. the thing i remember about this show is on one episode, Doug had a zit. and on a cartoon, that just looks cool for some reason, so i couldnt wait to be a teenager and have zits. then girls started having boobs and i wished i hadnt cursed myself. also Dougs best friend is blue and his bully is green. also not very interesting but looked cool as a kid. ok thats all i got for this, i sincerely hope nobody had the displeasure of reading this review.
Bradley W

Doug's 1st (and thankfully last) movie. I like the show as a kid but this just stunk
Juan C

imaginarly funny and nimble for a family. based on the hit t.v. show, comes a funny hit with heart. A