Monkey Trouble (1994) New Line/Comedy RT: 96 minutes Rated PG (a scene of menacing, some rude humor) Director: Franco Amurri Screenplay: Franco Amurri and Stu Drieger Music: Mark Mancina Cinematography: Luciano Tovoli Release date: March 18, 1994 (US) Cast: Thora Birch, Finster, Harvey Keitel, Mimi Rogers, Christopher McDonald, Adrian and Julian Johnson, Kevin Scannell, Alison Elliott, Remy Ryan, Robert Miranda, Victor Argo, Adam LaVorgna, Jo Champa, John Lafayette. Box Office: $16.4 million (US)
Rating: ***
In the grand tradition of Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion, Zebra in the Kitchen and other “Matinee Only Movies” comes Monkey Trouble, a cute comedy about a little girl and her monkey. Before I proceed with this review, perhaps I should explain what a Matinee Only Movie is. It describes a movie you’ll only see at matinee showings for kids because no self-respecting adult would see it on their own at some late hour of the day or night. Clarence and Zebra are perfect examples of what I’m talking about. Both were rereleased to theaters in early 1981 on the weekend kiddie matinee circuit. You can tell solely by the titles what demographic the makers were targeting. I don’t know how much of a crowd either one drew, but they played for more than one weekend so I guess they did okay.
ANYWAY, Monkey Trouble is that kind of movie. I actually saw it at a late showing (around 9:30pm) at a local multiplex. By 1994, theaters had pretty much stopped showing Matinee Only Movies. Had this not been the case, it’s likely it would have played exclusively at 1pm (or earlier) on Saturdays and Sundays. It’s a movie only a child would like, right? Well, I consulted my inner child and we both like Monkey Trouble. It’s actually pretty good.
All 9YO Eva (Birch, Now and Then) wants from life is a dog and her parents aren’t having any of it. Firstly, her stepdad Tom (McDonald, Grease 2) is allergic to animal fur. Secondly, her mom (Rogers, Gung Ho) doesn’t think Eva is responsible enough to take care of a pet. Her room is a mess. She never gets anything done on time. Also, she’s extremely jealous of her baby brother Jack. Eva is a very unhappy little girl. That is, until a cute little Capuchin monkey (Finster) literally drops into her life.
The monkey actually belongs to Azro (Keitel, Reservoir Dogs), a gypsy who works as an organ grinder on the Venice Beach boardwalk. He’s trained the monkey to pick the pockets of the spectators. He’s also adept at breaking into homes and stealing valuables. This catches the attention of a couple of mobsters who want to use the monkey for a big upcoming job. The monkey, however, has a different plan. Sick and tired of Azro’s treatment of him (borderline animal abuse), he runs away. He makes his way to a tree in the park. That’s when he drops into Eva’s life.
The delighted little girl names him Dodger because he likes her baseball cap. Knowing her parents wouldn’t let her keep him, she hides him in her bedroom. She instantly becomes more responsible. She cleans her room and starts getting herself ready for school. She acts more responsibly. She even starts getting along with Jack, the only family member who knows about Dodger. It’s okay, Jack can’t talk yet so he won’t spill the bananas (see what I did?). Meanwhile, Azro is looking all over for the monkey; the mobsters are pressuring him to show their boss what the monkey can do.
Monkey Trouble is a complete delight! I really enjoyed it. I guess I’m a sucker for movies with cute animals and cute kids. I always found Birch endearing especially when she was a child. Yes, the monkey runs off with the show, but Birch still manages to hold her own by just being a kid. More importantly, she plays a believable kid. Eva isn’t wise beyond her years nor is she a little comedian who constantly wisecracks her way through situations. She’s a messy kid who neglects her school assignments and nags her parents incessantly about getting a dog. This describes a lot of real-life kids. Real-life kids will relate to her as will many parents. Kudos to director/co-writer Franco Amurri (Flashback) for writing Eva’s character this way.
Some of you might wonder what Keitel is doing in Monkey Trouble. To tell you the truth, I wondered the same thing myself. He was fresh off the success of Reservoir Dogs, Bad Lieutenant and The Piano, all well-received films for adults. What’s he doing in a silly kid movie? Scaring the hell out of the kids watching, what else? This is the only element of Monkey Trouble some parents and kids may have a problem with. His character is a scary guy. He’s not nice to the monkey. He assaults a female pet store owner (off-camera) to get to Dodger. He grabs and threatens Eva. There’s a gun involved too. He’s an idiot but he’s NOT the clumsy, inept bad guy you typically see in kid-oriented movies. Don’t get me wrong, Keitel does a good job in Monkey Trouble. But is it too much for children? I guess it depends on the child.
