OSMOSIS JONES

US, 2001, 95 minutes, Colour.
Bill Murray, Elena Franklin, Molly Shannon, Chris Elliott. Voices of: Chris Rock, Laurence Fishburne, David Hyde Pierce, Brandy Norwood, William Shatner, Ron Howard, Kid Rock.
Directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly.

The Farrelly Bros, Peter and Bobby, developed a reputation for offbeat comedies, more than a touch of the crass, but making people laugh: There is Something About Mary, Me, myself and Irene, Shallow Hal. This time they have collaborated with animators for a film which is designed more especially for the children but which sympathetic audiences should enjoy.

It is a film about the human body, about health, about the abuse of health, about sickness, about the workings of the human interior to overcome sickness.

There are some live action sequences centred on Bill Murray as a slob of a worker at a zoo, stuffing his mouth with food that he should not be, trying to look after his daughter who really wants her father to be healthy. He does have a crisis, needs to go to hospital, needs to listen more to the subconscious voices from his body, and have the strong will to become healthy again.

The rest of the film is in brightly coloured animation, the interior of the city of Frank, humorously paralleling a real city with highways and byways, buildings, and all kinds of activities from the sinister gangsters who want to destroy the humans, to a crooked mayor who wants to control the body, to a very likeable white cell who is an agent of healing along with a rather straight up and down medication. The comedy comes Chris Rock’s voice as the white cell, Osmosis Jones, and the prim voice of David Hyde Pierce as the medication. Lawrence Fishburne is the villain.

Apparently some audiences find the film too silly – but, if they let themselves go (with an eye on their own health), they should find it enjoyable and somewhat instructive – which, perhaps, is the point, for children to see this presentation of anatomy and physiology and to learn something about health and health care.

1. Comedy with a message? Health, illness, healing?

2. The work of the directors, their career in comedy and satire?

3. The effect of the animation, its style, bright colours, characters, situations, the interior of the human body, exaggerations, variety of characters?

4. The voice cast?

5. The musical score?

6. The realistic sequences: Bill Murray as Frank, slob, work, his daughter, her trying to help him, their going out, the zoo, all the fast food, and his co-worker? Visiting the school, the teacher, the interviews, his vomiting, the zit? The gross out comic moments, youngsters’ happy responses? The picture of the slob, going to Buffalo for the Buffalo Wings, his collapse? Hospital?

7. The interior of Frank’s body, a city complex? Parallels with the real city? Indication of places and times? Buildings, roads, highways, workplaces, the office of the Mayor, the commercial for the opposition, the villain, his associates, the crime background, the gangsters, plotting and violence? To destroy the human being?

8. Chris Rock’s voice for Osmosis, bright, his being a blood cell, doing good, an agent, concerned about Frank, the efforts made, the encounter with Drix, befriending him, their action sequences together, the touch of his being a spy, being fired? The Mayor, Leah, her being on the side good, the Mayor limiting Osmosis‘ action and investigations?

9. Drix, his appearance, straight and square, David Hyde Pierce’s voice and manner, investigations, cues, the contortions, the music, changing?

10. The Mayor, his office, his crooked intentions, the confrontation by his secretary? Colonic and his commercial attacking the Mayor?

11. Drax, the villain, Laurence Fishburne’s voice, looking sinister with the touch of the monstrous, face, hands, Scissorhands? His allies? The plans?

12. The details of the germs, the cells, their appearance, the range of antics?

13. Frank, as a city, the interior voices, the subconscious warning him, his collapse, health, getting better? His strong-minded daughter, bonding with her father, trying to help him? At school?

14. A film of anatomy, physiology, the human system – and, while animated, giving indications for realism?

15. The use of these analogies – the impact for adults and understanding health and illness? For the young audience?