Dunston Checks In

1996 "He's about to turn a Five Star Hotel into a three ring circus."
5.3| 1h28m| PG| en
Details

Hotel manager Robert Grant is forced by his boss to postpone his family vacation when a hotel critic checks in. Trouble is, the critic is really a villainous jewel thief with an orangutan assistant named Dunston. When Dunston gets loose and tries to escape a life of crime -- aided by Robert's sons -- havoc, hijinks and lots of laughs abound!

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Also starring Sam the Orangutan

Reviews

Mjeteconer Just perfect...
Voxitype Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.
InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.
Geraldine The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.
Python Hyena Dunston Checks In (1996): Dir: Ken Kwapis / Cast: Eric Lloyd, Jason Alexander, Rupert Everett, Faye Dunaway, Paul Reubens: Ridiculous family film about an orangutan forced to steal for its ruthless owner at a hotel. Since Dunston is an orangutan it is indicated that certain mischief checks into the hotel. One thing that definitely didn't check in was a decent screenwriter. The title symbolizes behaviour although Dunston means well. He encounters a boy who happens to be the son of the manager. Everything must go smoothly because an unnamed visitor is evaluating the hotel. When priceless items are stolen Dunston is blamed and an exterminator is summoned. Unoriginal concept with repetitious storytelling before certain identities are revealed in the climax. Characters are basically props for Dunston's antics. Among the cast are Eric Lloyd as the boy who befriends Dunston and gets in trouble. Jason Alexander as his father is total cardboard. Rupert Everett as the thief is a letdown considering that he is more talented than this juvenile junk. Faye Dunaway is the biggest disappointment seeing that she has won an Oscar and this is the thanks she receives. Paul Reubens was in on the joke when he played Pee Wee Herman. Here as an exterminator he is the bunt of a career joke blunder. Director Ken Kwapis references old style films but this is forgettable family fluff. Score: 3 / 10
Neil Doyle 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.
ccthemovieman-1 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."
MovieAddict2016 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.