Osmosis Jones (2001)

55% of critics liked it
(108 reviews)
41% of users liked it
(60,589 ratings)

Peter Farrelly and Bobby Farrelly, the impish impresarios of gross-out comedy, take their body function-inspired humor to new extremes in this mixture of live action and animation. Bill Murray stars as Frank, a zoo worker suffering from the effects of an unknown malady he contracted after eating an… More Peter Farrelly and Bobby Farrelly, the impish impresarios of gross-out comedy, take their body function-inspired humor to new extremes in this mixture of live action and animation. Bill Murray stars as Frank, a zoo worker suffering from the effects of an unknown malady he contracted after eating an egg contaminated with simian saliva. Unknown to Frank, the inside of his body is actually a city (the City of Frank) teeming with cellular life, where the mysterious illness he's fighting is an invading enemy that must be defeated at all costs. It's up to Osmosis Jones (voice of Chris Rock), a white blood cell cop, and Drix (voice of David Hyde Pierce), a rookie over-the-counter medication, to hunt down and stop a lethal virus (Laurence Fishburne) who's got an inferiority complex. Along the way, the partners visit Frank's runny nostrils (Booger Dam) and a bar called, appropriately enough, the Zit. Osmosis Jones costars Molly Shannon and Chris Elliott, and features the vocal talents of William Shatner, producer Joel Silver, and singer Brandy Norwood. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 35 min.
Directed By: Bobby Farrelly, Bill Murray
Written By: Marc Hyman
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Aug 10, 2001 Wide
On DVD: Nov 13, 2001
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

Critic Reviews

Bill Wyman, Salon.com
Remains stubbornly one-dimensional.
Rita Kempley, Washington Post
It should have been placed in a hazardous waste container, encased in concrete and dumped into the Farrelly brothers' septic tank.
Norman Wilner, Toronto Star
The animated sequences in Osmosis Jones are funny and clever and thoroughly entertaining, with plenty of lively imagination on display in the transposition of a 1970s cop movie to the inner workings of the human body.
Wesley Morris, San Francisco Chronicle
Isn't a movie so much as a health-class nutrition lecture.
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
Watch what you buy at the concession stand.
Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel
A hilarious, hellzapoppin' hybrid.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
The PG rating is deceptive.
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
I enjoyed it. It's a fun, dumb and gross comedy that kids will love.
, Time Out
The plot's so much old rote, and the characters have all the personality of protoplasm; but the anthropomorphising of this microcosmic metropolis is wonderfully imaginative, and the dialogue decidedly spiffy.
Chris Gore, Film Threat
You'll probably find yourself laughing at Bill Murray farting. I did.
Steven Snyder, Zertinet Movies
It is funny, original, and even contains a genuine, good-natured theme.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...the whole thing eventually becomes bogged down in its own plot.
Kimberley Jones, Austin Chronicle
The ideas are there, hints of genius, but no one ignites them.
John R. McEwen, Film Quips Online
I'd advise attendees of this film to go on an empty stomach, but if you're willing to endure the Farrellys' warped sense of humor and Murray's scratching, squirting, gas-passing antics, Osmosis Jones offers some lighthearted fun.
Matthew Turner, ViewLondon
The over-riding question with all comedies is 'Are there many laughs in it?' Luckily, the answer is yes - there are lots of great jokes, and not all of the scatological kind.
Margaret A. McGurk, Cincinnati Enquirer
The design of this colorful interior metropolis is both clever and biologically correct.
Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile
The animated scenes directed by Piet Kroon and Tom Sito occupy most of the running time and are an imaginative and eyecatching tour of the human body.
Jeffrey Westhoff, Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)
Deserves all the praise showered upon the overrated Shrek.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...harmless enough in the context of a children's film, but children's films don't have to cater to the lowest or most-infantile possible tastes to be successful.
Kit Bowen, Hollywood.com
Leave it to the Farrelly brothers to once again gross us out.

Read all 22 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

Melvin W

Osmosis: Yo! You see this badge? You see this gun? You see this gooey, white saccus membranous 'round my personhood?... Well, you dealin' with a white blood cell here! I should be out in the veins, fighting disease, not in the mouth on tartar control. "He's one… More
Osmosis: Yo! You see this badge? You see this gun? You see this gooey, white saccus membranous 'round my personhood?... Well, you dealin' with a white blood cell here! I should be out in the veins, fighting disease, not in the mouth on tartar control. "He's one cell of a guy." Osmosis Jones is a a clever and unique film from the Farrelly brothers. I still don't really like it though. Yeah, the premise is really cool, but the overall execution of that premise is not. The movie turns into a one joke comedy after the initial awesomeness of the first 20 minutes or so. It didn't seem like the Farrelly's knew how to keep this story flowing and the audience caring. They let an extremely smart and cool idea go wasted because of their need to incorporate as many bodily function, fungus and zit jokes as they could into a an hour and a half running time. Osmosis is a white blood cell in the body of Frank. Frank is an unhealthy, overweight zookeeper, who is raising his young daughter all by himself after his wife has passed away. The movie follows two story lines. There's the live action storyline with the family dynamics of the father-daughter relationship. Then there's an animated storyline going on inside Frank's body. A virus has just come into his body with the intentions of killing Frank. It's up to Osmosis to take the virus down. He also has to fight all the normal problems that affect cops in cop dramas, such as a mistake a long time ago and a boss that doesn't really believe in him. I like the initial setup for this movie, but it just never gets where it needs to be. The film has a pretty incredible cast. Bill Murray plays Frank, and although it isn't one of his more memorable roles, it's still Bill Murray. Then there's the voice cast with people like Chris Rock, Laurence Fishburne, William Shatner and David Hyde Pierce. All the voice actors really sell their performances and sound perfect for their particular character. This is most notable with Fishburne's role as Thrax, the killer virus. He gives a great voice performance and is perfect for the role. Along with the great cast and the cool premise the movie has some great references throughout. At the end, there are some great uses of Titanic's final scenes. Then there's a band that plays at one point in the movie called Kidney Rock, that has Kid Rock and Joe C singing for it. All these elements should add up to something great and the disappointing part of it is that it doesn't. The film had potential, but it still ended up being a misfire for the Farrelly brothers.
Brad W

Clever, funny, a little too gross, but still is a pretty good animated film, not Bill Murrays funniest role though.
Matt G

Very underrated. Enjoyable comedy and great animation.
Michael E

the most creative and inventive animated/live action film ive ever seen
Dead A

The story was good. Very <i>educational</i>. Made me more careful about food hygiene to be honest (although I wouldn't eat an egg that has a monkey's saliva on it... ewww!). I liked the cartoon. And I hate Bill Murray. He was purely disgusting (I don't know… More
The story was good. Very <i>educational</i>. Made me more careful about food hygiene to be honest (although I wouldn't eat an egg that has a monkey's saliva on it... ewww!). I liked the cartoon. And I hate Bill Murray. He was purely disgusting (I don't know whether I should blame him or the character of his... but I don't like him at all).
Phil H

This is one of the best traditionally hand drawn animated films I've seen in along time, sure there are cgi momenst to enchance the film but basically this is drawing and its damn good looking too. A different style to Disney of course but its new and exciting and harks back to… More
This is one of the best traditionally hand drawn animated films I've seen in along time, sure there are cgi momenst to enchance the film but basically this is drawing and its damn good looking too. A different style to Disney of course but its new and exciting and harks back to certain cartoons fron daytime TV. The nice touch with this is its been made with live action sequences to accompany the animated stuff, sounds tacky but it actually works well and gives the story a boost when you least aspect it. The casting of Bill Murray is always gonna help any film and here as a slob he is just right to make you laugh, theres's also nice voice work from Shatner, Fishburne and Hyde who all fit their roles really well accept Rock who just has an annoying voice. Being set inside the body this makes the film more fun too, its cool to see how the animators have created different parts of the human body into things like seedy bars, clubs, city centre's etc...and how different bodily functions, cells, immunities etc..are portrayed by various odd characters ranging from seedy lowlifes, cops, politicians etc..its just cool to see how they think it could work :) Really nice flick and well thought out, it all seems like it could actually work haha it also looks good too, some moments being even alittle too scary for very young kids but possibly educational at the same time if your lucky ;)
Gordon A

Good fun children's film in the spirit of 'The Fantastic Voyage'. Filled with obvious but none the less enjoyable riffs on the body systems, only the live action segments disappoint.
Tim S

One of the worst live action/animation films I've ever seen.
Jennifer X

Cute. I enjoyed the penis joke.
Rachel F

Really funny.
Emily A

If you can get past the skin-crawling grossness of the live-action bits, this movie is really entertaining. The animation was superb and the voice acting equally so. Extra props to Laurence Fishburne, who is as chilling a villain as he is sincere as Morpheus.
Jason S

Seeing Bill Murray was fun but the movie was a little plain.
Drew S

Had noble intentions, but was just straight-up bad. Good idea, bad execution.
James A

I watched this movie twice to make sure that it was a s bad as I thought the first time I saw it. Sadly it was even worse than I remembered.
Bradley W

Clever, funny, a little too gross, but still is a pretty good animated film, not Bill Murrays funniest role though.
Matt P

The film has moments of humor and interest, but there are too many poinless gross-outs for it to be good.
Dillon L

It wouldn't be as terrible if it had strictly been about the cartoon. The live action crap is depressing, no matter which celebrity you throw in. Not very funny, originality ruined by live action sequences, and thus, 'Osmosis Jones' is a flop.
Luke C

A fun live action comedy that will not only appeal to children but also the humour will be funny to adults. With a new and unique concept Osmosis Jones offered the audience a different experience in animation and will capture the viewer with the hilarious Bill Murray and Chris Rock… More
A fun live action comedy that will not only appeal to children but also the humour will be funny to adults. With a new and unique concept Osmosis Jones offered the audience a different experience in animation and will capture the viewer with the hilarious Bill Murray and Chris Rock taking the lead roles. It was at times funny, violent, entertaining, sad and all the time captivating. The Farrelly Brothers bring all their experience into something different to their style and it works really well. Overall this is a fun and entertaining child's live action that is for all audiences some jokes for children, others for adults; it has a really working formula to it that always keeps the viewer satisfied.
Joseph E

This film was actually really good.
Yinalí R

Funny!

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Bill Murray as Frank

            Molly Shannon as Mrs. Boyd

            Chris Elliott as Bob

            Elena Franklin as Shane

            Chris Rock as Osmosis Jones

            Laurence Fishburne as Thrax

            David Hyde Pierce as Drix

            Brandy Norwood as Leah

            William Shatner as The Mayor

            E. Danny Murphy as Zookeeper Superintendent

            Kid Rock as Kidney Rock

            Ron Howard as Tom Colonic

            Joe C
            
            The O'Day Family as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Maura O'Brien as Emergency Room Nurse

            Marlene Malone as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Barbara O'Connor as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Grady O'Connor as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Danny Mann
            
            The Oberholtzer Family as Science Fair Family

            Emily O'Donnell as Science Fair Contestant

            Ken Olson
            
            Emily O'Day as Volcano Gal

            Colleen O'Donnell as Docky's Clamshack

            Diana O'Donnell as Science Fair Contestant

            The Madigan Family as Science Fair Family

            Sherry Lynn
            
            Bruce McIntyre as Pea Soup Staff

            Ruth Meyer as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            The Mone Family as Docky's Clamshack

            Brian Mone as Police Officer

            Stuttering John Melendez
            
            Mickie T. McGowan
            
            Hector Mercado
            
            Bob O'Brien as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Mandy Marsh as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Jillian Nicewicz as Docky's Clamshack

            Jo Ann Ninewicz as Docky's Clamshack

            The Murphy Family as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Joe Murphy as Bikini Gang

            The Neville Family as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Jack McCullough as Zookeeper

            Anne Lockhart
            
            Nikki Tyler-Flynn as Nurse #2

            Paul Tuerpé
            
            Uncle Kracker
            
            The Urann Family as Science Fair Family

            The Sumner Family as Science Fair Family

            Keri Tombazian
            
            Steve Susskind
            
            The Tom Beauchene Family as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            The Sullivan Family as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Morgan Wentzell as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Jacqueline Wentzell as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            The Winans Family as Science Fair Family

            Robert Wisdom
            
            Chandler Vuillemier as Volcano Gal

            The Vuilleumier Family as Science Fair Family

            Kathy Wege as Volcano Lady

            Bill Wade as Pea Soup Staff

            Warwick West Side All-Stars as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Mattie Ostiguy as Emergency Room Nurse

            Jesse Peter as Laughing Boy

            The Perry Family as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            The Peterson Family as Science Fair Family

            Chris Phillips
            
            Lynne Redding
            
            Paul Pape
            
            Zak Penn as Emergency Room Doctor #3

            Marilyn Pasekoff
            
            The Pelham Family as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Amy Suhay as Bikini Gang

            Dick Silva as Science Fair Contestant

            The Shields Family as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Herschel Sparber
            
            Doug Stone
            
            The Reske Family as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            The Ripley Family as Science Fair Family

            Dick Rubin as Bikini Gang

            Al Rodrigo
            
            The Roy Family as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            The Woodgate Family as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Bo Cleary as Pea Soup Staff

            Paul Christie
            
            Diane Conrad as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Judy Conrad as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Brianna Cabral as Volcano Gal

            The Charpentier Family as Docky's Clamshack

            Michael Carven
            
            The Cavallo Family as Science Fair Family

            Nancy Byers as Pea Soup Supervisor

            Buzz Dunn as Science Fair Contestant

            The Artist Formerly Known As Docky as Bikini Gang

            Laura Dunn as Science Fair Contestant

            Silk Willy Dunn as Oyster Boy

            The Bill Beauchene Family as Science Fair Family

            Tom Barbieri as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            The Buechs Family as Science Fair Family

            Jimmie Bones
            
            John Britten as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Sally Ann Brooks
            
            The Brown Family as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Nicole Brathwaite as Volcano Gal

            The Brumley Family as Science Fair Family

            Allison Barbieri as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Keith Anthony Lubow-Bellamy
            
            Marc Hyman as Emergency Room Doctor #2

            Rodger Bumpass
            
            Antonio Fargas
            
            Donald Fullilove
            
            Richard S. Horvitz
            
            Rif Hutton
            
            Art Kimbro
            
            Joyce Kurtz
            
            Helen Britten as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Sidney Bartholomew Jr. as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Zen Gesner as Emergency Room Doctor #1

            Eddie Frierson
            
            Sean Fitzgerald as Police Officer

            Eddie Barth
            
            Kevin Flynn as Docky's Clamshack Waiter

            Steve Berens as Stunts

            Carlos Alazraqui
            
            Anna Byers as Bus Girl #2

            Allison Kacmar as Science Fair Contestant

            Thomas Jordan as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Kelsey Jordan as Bus Girl #1

            Elizabeth Jordan as Nurse #3

            Erica Johnson as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Kena Flynn as Science Fair Contestant

            Heidi Hetzel as Bikini Gang

            Jamie Heres as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            The Hallowell Family as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Patricia Guiggey as Bikini Gang

            Shannon Gregory
            
            Jackie Gonneau
            
            Sean Gildea as Dreamy Photographer

            Krista-Jean Froand as Science Fair Contestant

            Kathryn Frick as Nurse #1

            Christina Kacmar as Science Fair Contestant

            Rachael Kasner as Bikini Gang

            The Kouri Family as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Jimmy Heres as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Grace Costa as Emergency Room Nurse

            The Coughlan Family as Science Fair Family

            The Curran Family as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Janis Dardaris
            
            Wendy Dillon
            
            The Dunphy Family as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Catherine Dunphy as Volcano Gal

            Stefanie Eulinberg
            
            Bob Fennessey as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            The Ferguson Family as Zoo Visitors & Staff

            Jackie Flynn as School Janitor

            The Krupa Family as Docky's Clamshack

            Jason Krause
            
            George Kouri as Bikini Gang

            Maryjane Foy as Docky's Clamshack

            Ben Stein as The Doctor

            Joel Silver as The Chief

            John-Eliot Jordan as Pea Soup Manager

            Jonathan Adams
            
            Christopher Elliot
            
See full cast

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