Dunston Checks In (1996) User Reviews

Dunaway checks in, out, and around

[lee_eisenberg · 5/10 · 14 January 2008]

After a career entailing "Bonnie and Clyde", "Little Big Man", "Chinatown", "Three Days of the Condor" and "Network", might it seem really low for Faye Dunaway to act in a movie like "Dunston Checks In"? Maybe, but the movie pretty much understands what sort of movie it is: silly, harmless fun. As it is, Faye Dunaway plays the same kind of character that she played in "Network", only bitchier. And if it seems that I try too hard to analyze a movie like this, so be it. Above all, I still consider Faye Dunaway REALLY hot! And I'm sure that I always will.

Also starring Jason Alexander, Rupert Everett and Paul Reubens (aka Pee-Wee Herman).

Watch out for the Orangutan!!

[chetan_thebest2003 · 5/10 · 15 June 2004]

The story goes like this--Robert Grant (Jason Alexander) is a father to two kids, Kyle Grant (Eric Lloyd) and Brian (Graham Sack). He is the Manager of a hotel that's owned by Mrs. Dubrow (Faye Dunaway) and she promises Robert of some days holiday and a hike in pay and scale if he can convince a visiting undercover reviewer that their hotel is suited to be 6 star. Here enters into the frame Lord Rutledge (Rupert Everett), a thug and crook with intention of stealing jewelry and along with him comes his partner - an orangutan named Dunston!! All the drama unravels when Dunston tries to get out of Rutledge's world of crime and in his mission he gets help from Kyle and Brian. Of course the most appealing part of the film is the Orangutan. He really looks cool and has performed superbly . The other guy who adds an element of humour to the story is Lionel Spalding (Glenn Shadix), the real undercover reviewer. Overall, the film is simple, a bit humorous with no exceptional performances. You only watch this movie for the monkey as apart from that there is nothing new to watch out for in this movie. You can give it a miss if you are expecting a bit too much !!!

Orangutan at a ritzy hotel makes harmless fun for children...

[Doylenf · 6/10 · 27 December 2006]

This is the sort of light caper that is nothing special but does provide some harmless fun for kids who will undoubtedly get more of a kick out of an Orangutan's shenanigans than an adult will--although there are some very clever moments that fill the bill for young and old.

JASON Alexander is expert as a hotel manager with two bratty kids who seem to have nothing better to do than make mischief as they cavort around the hotel with an unexpected guest. Seems that a jewel thief (RUPERT EVERETT) has checked in with his pet who's been trained to steal. This sets up the structure of the plot which has the kids and the Orangutan as the main focus of attention.

It's fun to see FAYE DUNAWAY enjoying herself in a comic role and everyone else enters nicely into the spirit of the whole thing. Easy to take and passes the time quickly with a few very clever moments among the many vignettes involving some cute stunts.

Dunaway Checks In!

[Poseidon-3 · 17 July 2002]

This film is obviously never going to be a monumental classic for all time, but it's quite underrated just the same. The story is simple. A four star hotel (run by Alexander, who lives there with his two sons) is up for a prestigious fifth star in the ratings guide when a jewel thief comes to visit, utilizing an orangutan as his accomplice. The fire-breathing owner turns on the heat to succeed while all hell breaks loose thanks to the primate. There seems to be something for everyone in it. The film begins with a lot of class as the various accoutrements of the hotel are featured. Kids should adore the orangutan "Dunston" and be able to identify with young Lloyd as his pal. Seinfeld fans should enjoy watching Alexander face all sorts of turmoil and hubbub as the harried hotel manager. Everett is comic in a grand, old-style sort of way with wrinkles, false teeth and a very threatening cane. There are a number of very talented supporting players who add to the comedic flair of the movie (Shadix, Bassey.) Even former "Pee Wee" Reubens has a cameo as a very aggressive exterminator. The end-all, be-all, though, is Dunaway. As the Leona Helmsley-esque, ultra-demanding, hyper-glamorous hotel owner, she walks off with the film and shows a rare funny side. It's not every day you see Dunaway with pink cake and icing all over her face. She cuts loose with a game, vivid, aware comedic performance which echoes all the neurotic, bitchy roles she used to play, but gave up after the stigma of "Mommie Dearest" wouldn't wear off. Somehow this missed at the box office, but it is perfect family entertainment for home video.

Dunston Checks In

[studioAT · 1/10 · 4 February 2023]

What a terrible film.

I can see that people rank it highly, and that it is for some a memorable film from their childhood, but to me this was a cheap and very very funny mess.

Eric Lloyd of 'The Santa Clause' franchise fame is put through his paces, but lacks the comic chops to be able to pull this off, and the less said about the performances from the other humans in the cast the better.

I know this isn't meant to be anything more than silly kiddie stuff, but there's a limit to that bracket, and this film just ends up being very silly, very unimaginative, and ultimately, a bit of a waste of time.

A neglected film

[NickAnon · 7/10 · 1 July 2000]

This film is certainly not Oscar material - far from it and I am sure that was not the producers intention. However, judging from the small number of votes cast an comments made for this film it seems like it has not been widely seen. It is an excellent family film with enough slapstick to keep the children happy but plenty for adults too. I have seen a lot worse comedies that have been hailed as masterpieces. All the performances are excellent and as usual Rupert Everett dominates every scene he is in.

Terrible!

[MovieAddict2016 · 4/10 · 6 February 2006]

A little boy who lives in a luxurious hotel (his father, Jason Alexander, owns it) has no friends and lives a miserable life until a monkey (or, to be more accurate, an orangutan) walks in one day and becomes his new best buddy.

Cue lots of stupid physical humor, shots of surprised guests shocked at the prospect of seeing a monkey in a rich hotel, more shots of disgust from the struggling father (Alexander doing his George Costanza), and Faye Dunaway looking old.

This is a really terrible movie for children. It says that if you don't have any friends, you should get a monkey and be really destructive and ruin your father's business - because rich people suck.

Good kids movie

[Colony · 7/10 · 21 January 2006]

I give this movie a seven because I think kids would really like it. When I first saw it in theaters, at the age of nine, I loved it, as did my younger brother.

I haven't seen it in years, but I do remember some great moments. The best one is Paul Reubens as an animal control official, who chases Dunston the Orangutan into a greenhouse. He fires his gun off and startles two old ladies sitting in an office, who then see him out a window looking into the greenhouse. For a few seconds the two ladies stare at him and he stares back. It's funny. The one kids will remember most will probably be Dunston jumping on Faye Dunaway and she falls backwards into a giant cake. Paul Reubens is definitely a highlight in this movie.

Like I said, I haven't seen the movie in years, and I imagine I would feel differently about it now. When I was a kid I didn't know that Faye Dunaway was a movie legend. Now that I've seen Bonnie and Clyde, Chinatown, and Network, it might be a little weird seeing her in this role.

So I feel that the kids and the kid-like will enjoy this movie. The older people, probably not so much.

A good time was not had by all

[Boyo-2 · 4/10 · 29 January 2001]

Watched this with three of my nephews, aged 11, 9 and 7. By the end only the 9 year old and I were left, the others wandered off due to extreme lack of interest.

The movie starts out okay enough. Actually I was ready to settle in for a good movie, it had all the makings. But, again, by the end it loses anything it had going for it. The children were not endearing enough, the actors are trying hard but failing and the only thing that is consistently good is the production design. Every set is gorgeous, and since you never leave the hotel at all, that is at least something to ponder when the action is less than noteworthy.

Either Faye Dunaway likes working all the time, or owes the taxman big time, but either way she was supposed to turn down this movie. Kathleen Turner could have done it just as well and since most of her recent career moves have been mediocre, at best, no one would have noticed. I did wince a little at the sight of Bonnie Parker getting a piece of cake in the face. Jason Alexander, Rupert Everett & Pee Wee do not muster up much laughter.

But poor Glen Shadix gets it worse than anyone, except for the audience.

A Pleasant Surprise, Especially Dunaway

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 2 May 2006]

This was surprisingly entertaining and with a few minor exceptions, very inoffensive family fare. It's another one of those adults-and-kids can enjoy flicks with a number of lines that border on being too much for kids but are still tame for adults - close, but safe. There are also some funny special effects and some good slapstick humor.

Being basically a kids' film, the main child, played by Eric Lloyd is cute but a little too spoiled for me but he's tolerable, as is his brother. Jason Alexander is the father, a very likable subdued guy but a little too lenient.

The real surprise in this cast is Faye Dunaway. Usually playing hard-edged types, she is the opposite in here which is kind of refreshing to see. She shows a nice comedic touch. The chimpanzee is probably the most entertaining, which is the idea, but so is the villain played by Rupert Evert. In other words, there are a lot of likable characters in this movie.

This a "sleeper:" an underrated film that a lot of people would enjoy. I'm sorry it never got much "press."

Sam the orangutan deserves an Oscar!

[agreatstory · 7/10 · 1 April 2020]

The main reason to see this movie is Sam the orangutan, who, of course, plays Dunston. It's sad that so many reviewers failed to appreciate how this one feature overrode the many flaws of the movie. Sam deserves an Oscar! If you let your heart be open to his charms you will be rewarded, I promise. Oh, and seeing Faye Dunaway, even at an age way past her prime (Chinatown, Bonnie and Clyde, etc.), is still a treat for this man's eyes. Jason Alexander is always dependable; the little boy who plays his younger son, shines; and throw in wack-job Paul Reubens (Pee Wee Herman) and you will forgive the obvious frailties of the script. For kids of all ages.

The Ape - Faye Dunaway - The Cake! It works on so many levels!

[carolyn-31 · 29 September 2000]

When I tell people this is one of my favorite movies, they look at me as though I'm nuts. Okay, Citizen Kane it ain't, but even after repeat viewings I still laugh out loud. Pure escapism; who hasn't wanted to have an entire luxury hotel as a private playground? The "villains" are larger than life (terribly polite Rupert Everett as the monkey-abusing jewel thief, plus Faye Dunaway all but waving a wire hanger as the ultimate Evil Boss), the kids are cute without being gooey, and Jason Alexander does a good job as the hotel manager, playing it straight but enjoying the ride (the long climactic scene, with a mano-a-mano fight in the hotel kitchen, is the closest thing to a live cartoon). Hiss as mean Lord Rutledge threatens the monkey! Cheer as the fat guy falls on top of a frosting-smeared Dunaway! Laugh as the crazy red ape dresses up in lingerie and blows kisses at himself!

The Vidiot Reviews

[capone666 · 5/10 · 9 June 2014]

Dunston Checks In

The way to tell if a monkey has been in your hotel room is the feces that you had left on the bedside table is now on the wall.

However, the orangutan in this family-comedy is toilet trained better than most humans.

Kyle (Eric Lloyd), the son of the Majestic Hotel's manager (Jason Alexander), befriends Dunston, an orangutan who has been trained to steal by his master, a jewel thief (Rupert Everett).

Mistaken for a critic by the hotel owner (Faye Dunaway), the pickpocket is permitted to go about his business unobstructed.

But when word gets out that a primate has checked into the establishment, the hotel's 5-star rating and Kyle's dad are threatened.

A madcap escapade embellished by slapstick shenanigans and puerile pranks, Dunston Checks In is as goofy as expected but surprisingly endearing and amiable.

Furthermore, it's refreshing to finally find a non-decomposing ape in a hotel room.

Yellow Light

vidiotreviews.blogspot.ca

A guilty pleasure

[Puroo · 6/10 · 10 May 2021]

Dunston Checks In is one of the films that we had the DVD of back when I was a kid. I'm not gonna lie, it's a guilty pleasure of mine to watch this silm in spite of all its flaws. And for me it doesn't even come under the "so bad it's good" category. It's a piece of the lore that defines my childhood. It was the first film that I watched in Hindi dub (it's called Ek Bandar Hotel Ke Andar in Hindi). And it was also the movie where I learnt that the film has Hindi dubbing and the characters are not actually speaking in Hindi.

I won't go into the story since I don't want to give any spoilers just in case you accidentally stumbled upon this page and are reading this review. So all I'd tell you is that this is about an orangutan who has been brought to a hotel in order to steal by a thief. There are two mischievous kids of whom the younger one is the protagonist (obviously). The kid manages to befriend the orangutan and then they help catch the thief to save the day. There are a lot of other things also going on and the characters always have a background story, but this was the basic premise of the story.

You know those silly children's films from the 90's that we all watched and had a good time laughing at? Baby's Day Out, Home Alone, Jingle All The Way - It comes under the same category: A mindless comedy not meant to be taken seriously. Though it does make me kinda sad to know people don't exactly like it. And I genuinely don't see a single reason why this film has such poor reviews. It's just like all those movies that we were used to seeing back then. It deserves probably a little more appreciation. Sure it's a bit mindless and a copy of something we have often watched, but still this is too low.

Good

[manitobaman81 · 7/10 · 4 September 2014]

The film is simple, a bit humorous with no great performances. It is plagued by plot holes and inane dialog. The movie itself is nothing that special, but it has some good stuff. It is a pretty unnecessary film. If you are looking for a good movie with decent acting this might not be for you. While this isn't a great film by any means, it is entertaining. It is difficult to watch and has no shortage of abuse and neglect. If you love silly, this should be a rewarding experience for you. Granted, most supporting characters were one-dimensional. There's something very nostalgic about it. I urge you to see it with an open mind. It will either surprise or disappoint you, depending on what your expectations are.

Funny

[engels · 8/10 · 1 September 1999]

First, let me say what this is not. This is not a movie with high artistic quality. Even when one reminds oneself of the fact that it is meant as a simple comedy, probably a family comedy, it still has a plot with too many coincidences (so many that they become predictable - now the monkey is here, she will not be looking, but when it's gone, and the man comes in, she will) and flat, caricatural characters. But it also is not supposed to be a high-quality movie. It's supposed to be funny.

And funny it is. The movie is full of funny ideas, all worked out in a good, classy manner. Even the basest of jokes are done in good style. Just relax - and laugh. And you'll keep laughing through most of the movie. The monkey (that's a negative point - technically an urang utan is an ape, not a monkey) is well in its place as a comedy actor, and as said - the ideas are good, the working-out is even better.

Not 'the best movie you'll ever see', not even close. Not a 'must-see movie'. But a very pleasant way to spend 90 minutes. And enjoyable for both adults and children, that's worth something too.

Very funny

[kimmishy5 · 7/10 · 13 July 2019]

Every time I I see this silly movie I laugh out loud! That orangutan is hilarious!

One of my son's favorite movies!

[KSprowl · 10/10 · 11 April 2005]

Very unique plot, well acted, well directed and highly recommend! Good film for the entire family! The title and leaders might be deceiving, but what kid (or adult) doesn't love a monkey making a monkey out of snooty adults? Jason Alexander (George from "Seinfeld" being the responsible, single father of two boys and manager of a major hotel is stretch, at least initially due to his stereotype; however, after watching it a half hour you forget that it is "George" and get involved with the other characters.

Another reason to watch is to see Faye Dunaway's amazing post-op face lift and Pee-wee Herman as the "Animal Catcher"? Good, clean fun for the whole family!

The definitive monkey movie

[speedny7 · 10/10 · 24 November 2002]

This is one of the finest films I have ever seen. Jason Alexander, Faye Dunaway, and Rupert Evert are all brilliant actors who make this thing work. Paul Reubens puts in a hilarious performance as the crazy animal control specialist La Farge. I guarantee than anyone who sees this movie will laugh from start to finish at all the monkey-mayhem created by Dunston, the lovable but mischievous orangutan. Everyone should see this movie.

A triumph

[tdflatt25 · 10/10 · 5 May 2006]

1995 and 1996 were clearly the years for movies dealing with primates. "Ed "in 1996 taught us that heroes come in all shapes, and all sizes. Congo (1995) taught us that apes could be both intelligent and evil. Let's not forget 1995's "Born to be Wild", where a teenage boy and female gorilla's near bestiality captured all our hearts. However, not since the original "Planet of Apes" has a movie captivated our attention, and made us feel what it's like to be a monkey. "Dunston Checks In" set the bar for years to come.

Sam the orangutan's performance as Dunston is both hilarious and heartbreaking. Blockbuster actors such as Ben Affleck and James Franco could learn a lesson or two from Sam. You think Ben Affleck was emotional when he said "I love you" to Bruce Willis in Armageddon? Think again. When Sam looks at the picture of him and his now dead brother, his expression alone brings a tear to ones eye. You think James Franco was in pain in Spider-Man 2 when he realized his best friend was the man who killed his father? Try watching Sam when he is getting a piece of glass torn from his flesh. Sam's connection with the audience is so great you almost feel the glass being ripped from your own hand.

This is not to mention the other wonderful qualities this movie has. Amazing slapstick comedy, alcoholic older women, Jason Alexander cursing, Faye Dunaway's fall from grace, an orangutan spanking a prominent socialite, and a cameo from Paul Reubens that can only be explained with two words: Oscar worthy.

The fact that this film did not win any Academy Awards is shocking. Five for sure: Paul Reubens beating out Cuba Gooding Jr. and James Woods for Best Supporting Actor, "Dunston Checks In" narrowly defeating "The English Patient" for Best Picture, Ken Kwapis for Best Director, Best Music Robert Blackwell, and lastly, a landslide victory for Sam, the orangutan for Best Actor. It is criminal that the Academy shafted this great film in 1996 with no Oscars and zero nominations.

Although it was given no Oscars this much can be certain: it set the standard and paved the way for future primate movies. Where would MVP: Most Vaulable Primate and MXP: Most Xtreme Primate be without Dunston Checks In? In some Hollywood executive's trash, that's where. Because of pioneer movies like "Dunston Checks In" movies like MVP and MXP enjoy much commercial success. So grab your kids, round up the neighbor, pop some popcorn, and get ready to laugh, and cry at one of the best movies in the last twenty years: "Dunston Checks In".

Ignore the haters, negative ratings. This is one of my all time favourite

[gurleen333 · 10/10 · 22 February 2019]

Ignore negative ratings this is a fine movie.Ignore the haters, negative ratings. This is one of my all time favourite

Pure Perfection

[TheRealGarfield · 10/10 · 17 October 2019]

Dunston Checks In is nothing short of a masterpiece. The film is so dense with layers upon layers of meaning, so finely crafted and worked into the movie. The film's message is greatly abstract, but still somehow manages to stray away from being pretentious. The plot presents many complicated issues, and handles them with great care, making viewers question their own morals. The film is not afraid to present tough subject matters, and shows them in a light that perfectly indicates what the film is trying to say without trying to pander to a certain demographic, yet staying on the gray line. The film's acting is glorious, with an outstanding performance by Jason Alexander. Alexander absolutely pushes boundaries and shows the peak of his performance in an overwhelmingly powerful scene, where his character breaks down on the verge of tears. The cinematography is absolutely stunning, each shot has so much meaning, and without even saying a single word perfectly sets the tone communicates what is happening in the scene. It is difficult to put into words how magnificent this film is, so I highly recommend this film to those who have yet to see it. In short, this movie is a masterpiece. also the monkey is funny.

THE BLOCKBUSTER HIT WE NEEDED

[sqeegzjones · 10/10 · 31 March 2021]

This is an intellectual masterpiece will an astonishing plot and colorful characters this is a true 10/10.

Wonderful adorable family flick

[UniqueParticle · 8/10 · 18 September 2019]

Centered around a hotel and a genius wild monkey befriending a boy. Very enjoyable even for adults! Jason Alexander is great too! Family films are a perfect landmark of heart and coziness.

great movie!

[fwhalen477 · 4 July 2003]

i just love this movie! it is so funny, and such a great film for kids AND adults. it is way underrated. i seriously think that anyone would enjoy this movie because in my heart, it's an instant classic! DUNSTON LIVES FOREVER!