Fat Albert

Washington Post Desson Thomson

Seems like a pretty cool movie -- at least, for a remake of a 1970s Saturday morning TV show.

Dallas Observer Melissa Levine

The film is sweet and often genuinely funny, with lively musical numbers and a cast of entertaining personalities.

LA Weekly Chuck Wilson

A spirited re-creation of the series that once ruled Saturday mornings.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sean Axmaker

Fat Albert's originality is lost on the big screen.

Miami Herald Peter Debruge

Kenan Thompson may not look the part, but he's instantly likeable as Fat Albert.

The Hollywood Reporter Michael Rechtshaffen

An awkward blend of live action and animation.

Village Voice Ed Park

The animated scenes conjure aromas of the stilted "Clifford," and the overall approach is to throw preordained movie sequences (rap number, shopping spree) together and hope for the best.

Chicago Tribune Robert K. Elder

Seems a little lightweight, even for a kids' movie.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

I don't think Fat Albert is up to speed; in its meandering, low-key way, it seems destined more for a future on de-ved, returning to the video world where the characters say they feel more at home.

Los Angeles Times Kevin Crust

Despite the tired premise, Kenan Thompson -- is actually very persuasive as Fat Albert.

San Francisco Chronicle Carla Meyer

Confusing, mixing messages of self-empowerment with those of conformity.

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

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.

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

Except for a surreal moment when Fat Albert meets the real Bill Cosby, who tells his cartoon creation he must go back into the television, nothing inventive occurs.

Boston Globe Wesley Morris

In the end, it's hard to see a real reason for the movie's existence. We already have Muppets.

The New York Times Manohla Dargis

In Fat Albert, that trademark is resurrected to depressingly diminished ends.

Chicago Reader J.R. Jones

Weak comedy.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Keith Phipps

While endearing as cartoons, they don't wear flesh well.

Variety Joe Leydon

fFat-footed and ham-handed in its attempt to reconstitute a popular '70s TV cartoon show as a full-length, family-skewing feature.

Philadelphia Inquirer Karen Heller

Alas, this eternally sunny character's mantra, "I don't have a problem, I solve problems," makes for paltry dramatic tension.

Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach

Kids, except for the very youngest, are going to be bored.

Portland Oregonian M. E. Russell

Why did they think anyone would want to watch a Fat Albert adaptation that can't answer a simple question: "Who is this movie for?"

TV Guide Angel Cohn

Basic knowledge of the original series is mandatory, but the more familiar you are, the more glaring this movie's considerable deficiencies will seem.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Leah McLaren

The result plays like an extended Pepsi commercial without the Pepsi.

New York Daily News Robert Dominguez

Somewhere in its quest to be educational, Fat Albert forgot to be entertaining.

New York Post Lou Lumenick

Lumpy, preachy and soporific.

Austin Chronicle Marjorie Baumgarten

The movie is toothless and uninspired, and as directed by veteran filmmaker Joel Zwick (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), the film is a disgracefully shoddy affair.