Fat Albert (2004)

23% of critics liked it
(82 reviews)
51% of users liked it
(58,620 ratings)

Bill Cosby's gang of childhood pals evolve from standup comedy to an animated cartoon series to real life in this family-friendly comedy. Doris (Kyla Pratt) is a teenager who doesn't fit in with most of her classmates at school, has been depressed since the death of her grandfather, and is disturbed… More Bill Cosby's gang of childhood pals evolve from standup comedy to an animated cartoon series to real life in this family-friendly comedy. Doris (Kyla Pratt) is a teenager who doesn't fit in with most of her classmates at school, has been depressed since the death of her grandfather, and is disturbed by her foster sister's willingness to remake herself in order to be popular. One of Doris' few solaces comes from watching reruns of the animated television series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, and one day while watching the show she starts to cry, with a tear dropping into her remote. The tear draws big-hearted (and just plain big) Fat Albert (Kenan Thompson) from the animated universe into Doris' real world in hopes of cheering her up and helping her deal with her problems. As Fat Albert and his pals -- Rudy (Shedrack Anderson III), Bucky (Alphonso McAuley), Mushmouth (Jermaine Williams), Weird Harold (Aaron A. Frazier), Dumb Donald (Marques B. Houston), and Bill (Keith D. Robinson) -- adapt to the three-dimensional world and try to teach Doris to believe in herself, they learn that traveling back to the animated world is harder than they thought, which becomes alarming when they start to fade away. The real world also poses some new dilemmas for Fat Albert when he falls in love with Doris' foster sister, Lauri (Dania Ramirez). Bill Cosby co-authored the screenplay for Fat Albert, using his full name, William H. Cosby Jr., and collaborating with Charles Kipps; the project was begun with Forest Whitaker as director, who left midway through shooting, with Joel Zwick taking over in his place. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 33 min.
Directed By: Joel Zwick
Written By: Bill Cosby, Lowell Ganz, Charles Kipps, Babaloo Mandel
Genres: Comedy, Kids & Family

In Theaters: Dec 25, 2004 Wide
On DVD: Mar 22, 2005
Studio: 20th Century Fox

Critic Reviews

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader
At the end of this weak comedy is a strange and touching scene in which Bill Cosby and his childhood pals from Philadelphia, now elderly men, gather at the grave of Albert Robertson, the real-life inspiration for Cosby's bighearted Fat Albert.
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
The sermonizing on behalf of good clean fun and hard old effort (Cosby co-wrote the script) is as faded as Big Al's sweater after too many days on earth.
Kevin Crust, Los Angeles Times
The movie feels small and flat.
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
Squeaky-clean but uninspired.
Carla Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle
Every move toward promoting acceptance of differences comes with a conflicting idea.
Mike Clark, USA Today
This movie is as lame as it is tame.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
A sweet but small, so-so movie.
Cole Smithey, Daily Radar
Director Joel Zwick ("My Big Fat Greek Wedding") helms this redundant and distinctively shabby movie that wasn't even filmed in Philly.
Ethan Alter, Film Journal International
The movie is bland and boring, relying on lame jokes and a nonsensical story to carry the day.
, Time Out
The Cosby touch (he's co-writer and co-executive producer) is in full effect, schmaltz notwithstanding, as Albert and the gang run through their series of pleasantly diverting escapades.
Tony Whitt, Now Playing Magazine
There's some fun to be had in watching cartoon characters created in the '70s adjusting to the real life world of 2004.
Bill Chambers, Film Freak Central
I'm happy to report that Fat Albert captures a lot of its source's melancholy appeal
Steve Head, IGN Movies
Innocently directionless.
Peter Sobczynski, eFilmCritic.com
Can Cosby seriously believe that this is an idea worthy of his most lasting creation?
Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle
Its messages are innocuous and may hold the attention of the littlest viewers, but older audience members may find themselves repulsed by their nostalgia.
Sean Axmaker, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
... reminiscent of The Brady Bunch movie, but there's no sense of satire or self-parody to the execution.

Read all 16 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Brad W

It ruined the old cartoon, damn you Kenan Thompson
Alexander D

Bill Cosby was the producer for this film, I believe, and it's definitely not his best or funniest work, but FAT ALBERT as a live-action adaptation is silly, cute, and it satisfied me well enough.
Michael E

it stays faithful to the source material and the end result is a good, entertaining, and funny film.
Matt G

I should hate this movie.. But I love the crap out of it. It's hilarious, I LOVE it! You have to see this. Grade: B+
KJ P

Fast Albert is a guilty pleasure comedy that I find myself loving, even if it is way over the top and makes the cartoon look like a child drew it. It's hilarious and actually manages to pull off a decent story. I really enjoy watching this live action version of Fat Albert!
Richard C

C-
Lafe F

They wrecked the plot. Rather than doing a live-action adtaptation of the Fat Albert characters in their New York setting, they have them as fiction characters, which a troubled girl summons from her television set to seek guidance. It's so lame. Once the Fat Albert gang enters… More
They wrecked the plot. Rather than doing a live-action adtaptation of the Fat Albert characters in their New York setting, they have them as fiction characters, which a troubled girl summons from her television set to seek guidance. It's so lame. Once the Fat Albert gang enters our world, they are culture-shocked, and cause some fun and trouble of their own. No thanks. After all those years, they should'nt have made a Fat Albert movie like this.
Jennifer X

i cannot think of one good thing to say about this movie.
Jose Z

it was good, to watch it on a sunday afternoon with the family. good cast and good adaptation from the cartoon
Bradley W

It ruined the old cartoon, damn you Kenan Thompson
Yinalí R

Good movie.
Andrew F

HEY! HEY! HEY! This movie is suprisingly original and funny.
Quinto W

I'd like to wipe my ass with Bill Cosby's sweaters just so he'd know what it feels like for any human being to suffer tihs awful movie.
Lee K

im going to change my review on this, i just watched this with the kids on march break again and i believe i was a little hard. It was more enjoyable the second time round
Sarah P

I never watched the cartoon, but this movie was absolutely horrible.
Leo L

A favorite. Loved this movie.
Haley A

Hey, Hey, Hey!!!

Read all 17 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Kenan Thompson as Fat Albert

            Kyla Pratt as Doris

            Shedrack Anderson III as Rudy

            Jermaine Williams as Mushmouth

            Keith Robinson as Bill

            Alphonso McAuley as Bucky

            Aaron Andre Frazier as Old Weird Harold

            Marques Houston as Dumb Donald

            Dania Ramirez as Lauri

            Omarion Grandberry as Reggie (as Omari Grandberry)

            Aaron Carter as Teen

            Bill Cosby as Himself

            Earl Billings as Mr. Mudfoot (Voice)

            Catero Colbert as Lead Teen (Voice)

            Ben Diskin as Teen #2 (Voice)

            Rick Overton as Coach Gillespi

            Jeff Harlan as Dad

            Annie Abbott as Mrs. Forchick

            Raven Symone as Danielle

            Keri Lynn Pratt as Heather

            Jeremy Suarez as Russell

            Josh Uhler as Teen #3 (Voice)

            Bill Ratner as Announcer (Voice)

            Jeanne Chinn as Woman #1

            Derek J. Watkins as Salesman

            Alyssa Shafer as Little Girl

            J. Mack Slaughter
            
            Damon Elliot as DJ

            Jeff Leaf as Basketball Player

            Cody Fleetwood as Kid

            Jenifer Kinglsey as Woman #2

            Dylan Cash as Emmitt

            Charles Duckworth as Teen #1 (Voice)

            Omari Grandberry
            
See full cast