Teacher's Pet
Buena Vista Pictures | Release Date: January 16, 2004 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
74
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 26 Critic Reviews
Positive:
22
Mixed:
3
Negative:
1
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
TimeRichard Corliss
Has a whirligig wit, and 11 songs crammed into its 67 minutes: that's more melodic content than in most Broadway musicals. Read full review
90
VarietyJoe Leydon
A doggone hilarious cartoon extravaganza...virtually bursts at the seams with a supersized abundance of witty wordplay, silly songs and inspired sight gags. Read full review
90
Washington PostMichael O'Sullivan
It's part sugar, part spice (cayenne, not nutmeg) and all-around brilliant. Read full review
90
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
Smart and stylish, Disney's Teacher's Pet is one family film that has appeal for adults as well as children. Read full review
90
Wall Street JournalJoe Morgenstern
The energy is genuine, and the level of invention is remarkable, sustained as it is by Mr. Baseman's genially garish art, Timothy Bjoerklund's direction from a script by Bill and Cherie Steinkellner, and Nathan Lane's madly passionate performance as the canine who was famously born on the wrong end of a leash.
90
The New York TimesA.O. Scott
Marvelously quick-witted and gloriously goofy hand-drawn feature shows there's still more than 21 grams of life left in the form. Read full review
80
Village VoiceMark Holcomb
Continues Disney's trend of crafting animated movies as much for adult viewers as for their pre-adolescent progeny. Read full review
80
The Hollywood ReporterKirk Honeycutt
For all the work that went into the whimsical creatures and painterly palette, the voice actors more or less steal the show. Read full review
80
L.A. WeeklyElla Taylor
This mouthy express train of a movie has giddy charm to burn, due in major part to the frantic charisma of Nathan Lane. Read full review
80
Chicago ReaderJ.R. Jones
Gary Baseman's Emmy-winning cartoon series arrives on the big screen in a delightful blast of bold drawing, brainy humor, and hard-charging songs. Read full review
78
Austin ChronicleMarc Savlov
Teacher’s Pet feels more like Ren & Stimpy's John Kricfalusi on a mild dose of Prozac, and I mean that in the very best way. Read full review
75
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
By deftly blending silliness and sophistication, this little movie does its part to stem the technological tide. Read full review
75
New York PostLou Lumenick
The animation, supervised by director Timothy Bjorkland, is deliberately crude, but it complements the wacky story line just as well as the excellent musical numbers, one of which is a spot-on homage/parody of Sondheim. Read full review
75
Philadelphia InquirerNancy Churnin
You don't have to be a fan of the TV show to enjoy watching this dog chase his shtick. Read full review
75
Chicago TribuneRobert K. Elder
First-time director Timothy Bjorklund, who also shepherded Teacher's Pet on television, conducts some inventive, devilish sequences. Read full review
70
Washington PostDesson Thomson
The writing (by Bill and Cherie Steinkellner) has a non-sentimental appeal for that young preteen (and early teen) crowd that fancies itself too cool for kiddie stuff. Read full review
70
The A.V. ClubTasha Robinson
Impatient adult escorts ought to appreciate the brevity, and their kids should find plenty of good-natured diversion in the film's generally charming story. Read full review
70
Dallas ObserverLuke Y. Thompson
The musical numbers are energetic and fun. Read full review
67
Entertainment WeeklyScott Brown
The somewhat rococo songs and earthy pop-art animation tread a very fine line between heady and headachy. Read full review
67
Seattle Post-IntelligencerPaula Nechak
More like the kid shows that populate Nickelodeon. Read full review
63
PremiereLaine Ewen
The ending of Teacher's Pet, like the rest of the film, feels a bit rushed. Then again, the movie is geared toward a population with small attention spans and smaller bladders. Read full review
63
USA TodayClaudia Puig
Teacher's Pet is no "Finding Nemo," nor even "Lilo and Stitch," but it is an enjoyable family film -- particularly for younger kids -- during a time of year when such fare is lacking. Read full review
50
TV Guide MagazineAngel Cohn
Should have been pared down into an episode of the series. Read full review
50
Boston GlobeTy Burr
Barrels along on a diverting enough sugar high, but in the hangover that follows you may wonder where the wonder was. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleCarla Meyer
It seems like a bizarre move for Disney, releasing a film that combines elements of "Blue's Clues" and "The Island of Dr. Moreau." Read full review
38
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Rick Groen
The problem here isn't how the figures look; rather, it's what they do and say -- the story is lame and the dialogue no better. Read full review
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