Monday Morning Maybe

Add your email and we'll match picks to the services you stream at home.

Poster for Buddy

Buddy

Seen it?

1997 | 84 min | Adventure, Family, Comedy, Drama

Weeknight Watchearly rating

Why it’s a Weeknight Watch

With just 25% on Rotten Tomatoes and a box office loss, it's a mixed bag. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who wants a laugh, adventure fans and families. If you loved The Wild Thornberrys Movie, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
The mood
Funny with heart, feel-good.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 24 min.
What might put you off
  • Rated PG: a parent's death or loss. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
  • Critics were cooler on it than audiences.

In the 1930s, eccentric animal lover Trudy adopts a sickly baby gorilla named Buddy and raises him alongside chimpanzees as if they were her human children. As Buddy grows into an 800-pound adult, his immense strength and unpredictable behavior lead to trouble, culminating in a chaotic incident at an exhibition.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsWeak

    25% on Rotten Tomatoes

  • AudiencesSolid

    6.6 out of 10 from opening-week audiences

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Box office & staying powerWeak

    $10 million worldwide on a $25 million budget

  • Buzz & cultural impactSolid

    About 64K people sought it out in the past year, and interest is climbing

Trailer

More like this

Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks

Cast & crew

Directed by Caroline Thompson

  • Rene RussoTrudy Lintz
  • Robbie ColtraneBill Lintz
  • Alan CummingDick Croner
  • Irma P. HallEmma
  • Paul ReubensProfessor Spatz
  • John AylwardJoe Bowman
  • Mimi KennedyMrs. Bowman
  • Philip Baker HallMinister
  • Dane CookFair Cop
  • Michael Reid MacKaySkinny Man