--- title: "Oliver & Company" year: 1988 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/oliver-and-company" fi1m_id: "oliver-and-company" imdb_id: "tt0095776" tmdb_id: 12233 wikidata_id: "Q216929" fi1m_score: 61 critics_score: 53 critics_reviews: 6 published: "2026-10-04T20:33:56.403918+00:00" updated: "2026-10-04T20:34:49.570120+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Oliver & Company (1988) Directed by George Scribner · 1h 14m · MPA G · Animation, Comedy, Family ## Identity Oliver & Company - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/oliver-and-company - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** oliver-and-company - **IMDb ID:** tt0095776 - **TMDB ID:** 12233 - **Wikidata ID:** Q216929 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095776/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/12233, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q216929 **Fi1m score: 61** · Critics 53 from 6 reviews *In a sentence:* A kitten takes top billing while the dogs do most of the work > George Scribner’s brisk animal comedy has a lively voice cast and some enjoyable supporting turns. Its passive hero keeps it slight, but there is enough warmth for an undemanding family evening. ## Synopsis In New York City, Oliver (voiced by Joey Lawrence) is a kitten left behind when the rest of his litter find homes. Hungry, he meets Dodger (voiced by Billy Joel), a dog who gets him to help steal sausages from a street vendor, then takes the food for himself. Oliver follows him to a barge shared by a gang of dogs and Fagin (voiced by Dom DeLuise). Fagin owes money to Sykes (voiced by Robert Loggia), and the animals help him scrape a living through theft. Oliver wants food and somewhere to belong; his new companions already have troubles of their own. ## Review *Oliver & Company* is a cheerful, uneven family film whose supporting characters make a stronger impression than its hero. George Scribner’s animal reworking of *Oliver Twist* has enough comic life for an undemanding evening, though it offers little to linger over afterwards. The urban setting gives the familiar story a useful change of surroundings. At 74 minutes, it moves quickly, sometimes so quickly that getting us fond of Oliver seems to have been left to his appearance. The opening does earn that fondness. We felt sorry for Oliver when the other kittens found homes and he was left behind; the situation is plain, and so is his need for company. Joey Lawrence gives him an appealing voice, but the film never quite works out how to make him interesting once he has our sympathy. His passivity becomes a problem because we spend so much time waiting for the other characters to decide what happens next. Billy Joel gives Dodger an easy confidence, and the character supplies the momentum Oliver lacks. Dom DeLuise is a good choice for Fagin, giving him enough warmth to make his predicament matter. The debt to Sykes provides a clear reason for anxiety, although the writing makes relatively little of Fagin beyond his immediate difficulties. These are enjoyable voices to spend time with, and their distinct personalities help us keep track of a crowded cast without making every introduction feel like a roll call. Tito and Georgette are the chief pleasures, voiced by Cheech Marin and Bette Midler and animated with a liveliness that keeps their scenes alert. Their personalities remain clear even when the comedy gets broad, which matters in a film with so many animals competing for attention. We do not need every supporting character to develop a complicated inner life; we do need to enjoy watching them, and these two give the film that immediate appeal. The difficulty is returning to Oliver after somebody else has been allowed to be funny. Editors James Melton and Mark A. Hester keep the pace brisk enough that the thinness is not always immediately apparent. There is little room for the comedy to drag, but also little space for a relationship to grow beyond what we grasped on first meeting the characters. J.A.C. Redford’s score supports the buoyant tone, although music cannot give Oliver the decisions the screenplay withholds. Writers Tim Disney, James Mangold and Jim Cox keep the tale clear, yet the hero’s lack of initiative leaves the stronger comic parts doing too much of the work. As a family comedy, it is pleasant enough to sit through with children, but adults have relatively little extra to discover. The animal retelling need not carry every concern of Charles Dickens; it does need enough personality to sustain our interest between jokes. Here that interest depends too heavily on who happens to be speaking. Choose it for a short, undemanding evening, and allow the supporting cast to be the attraction. *Fi1m score 61, published 4 October 2026.* ## What the critics say The reviews lean towards mixed or negative, with praise concentrated on the film’s liveliness and its appeal as family entertainment. The Los Angeles Times offers the warmest assessment, singling out Tito and Georgette for their characterisation and animation, though it finds Oliver too passive to hold attention. Radio Times also sees an enjoyable family film, crediting the storytelling and voice cast while finding less charm than Disney usually supplies. The divide is over whether those pleasures compensate for a retelling that several critics find lacking. Empire considers it cute but short of the charm needed to engage adults alongside children, while Time Out dismisses the animal-based adaptation as a rehash of Oliver Twist. The spread is fairly wide: the more favourable reviews accept its limitations, while the dissenters find too little appeal or freshness to justify the retelling. ## Straight answers **Is Oliver & Company worth watching?** *Oliver & Company* is worth considering for a short, undemanding family evening, though its passive hero keeps it slight; we score it 61 out of 100. The lively supporting animals and warm voice performances provide enough amusement for children, but we find relatively little here for adults beyond the company of the cast. **How long is Oliver & Company, and what is it rated?** *Oliver & Company* runs 1h 14m and is rated G by the MPA in the US. It is an animation and comedy film. **Where can I watch Oliver & Company in the US?** *Oliver & Company* is streaming on Disney+ in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from $3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How does Oliver & Company compare to Ernest & Celestine?** *Oliver & Company* offers brisk, broad animal comedy, while [*Ernest & Celestine*](https://film.one/film/ernest-and-celestine) gives its unlikely friendship more patience and tenderness. We recommend *Ernest & Celestine* for the stronger relationship at its centre; *Oliver & Company* suits an evening when lively supporting characters and a quick pace matter more than getting attached to the leads. **Is Oliver & Company based on a true story or a book?** *Oliver & Company* is an animal reworking of Charles Dickens’s novel *Oliver Twist*, rather than a true story. It moves the tale to New York City and keeps the storytelling clear enough that no knowledge of the book is needed. We find it a slight family comedy that makes little attempt to carry over Dickens’s wider concerns. **What should I watch after Oliver & Company?** After *Oliver & Company*, try [*Ernest & Celestine*](https://film.one/film/ernest-and-celestine) (2012, Fi1m 84): An unlikely animal friendship given the patience and tenderness Oliver sometimes lacks. Then [*Paddington*](https://film.one/film/paddington) (2014, Fi1m 84): A homeless newcomer finds a family, with comic detail for every age. ### Reviews we read (6) - **Los Angeles Times**, CHARLES SOLOMON (75/100, inferred): Solomon finds the film bright, upbeat family entertainment despite some shortcomings. He particularly praises the lively characterization and animation of Tito and Georgette, while criticizing Oliver as too passive to hold attention. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-11-18-ca-693-story.html) - **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The article appears to review the 1988 film, but its verdict cannot be verified from the accessible page. Its headline points to the Dickens-to-Disney adaptation and urban setting, but the critic’s specific praise or complaint is unavailable. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/13/movies/film-oliver-company-gives-dickens-disney-twist-urban-scene-appropriate-rooftop.html) - **Radio Times**, Dave Aldridge (3/5): Aldridge finds it somewhat short of Disney’s customary charm but still fine family entertainment. He praises the nicely told tale and its voice cast. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-cooscb/oliver-company/) - **Slant Magazine**, Eric Henderson (2.5/5): Henderson dismisses the film as a tired, out-of-touch Disney effort that adds little to Dickens’s story. He particularly criticizes the DVD’s dirty, faded print and haphazard bonus features. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/oliver-and-company-dvd/) - **Empire**, Patricia Wilson (40/100, inferred): The review finds the film cute but lacking the classic Disney charm that appeals to adults as well as children. It singles out that lack of broader appeal as its main shortcoming. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/oliver-company-review/) - **Time Out**, MK (30/100, inferred): The review is dismissive, calling the film a rehash of Oliver Twist. It singles out the animal-based retelling as its chief weakness. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/oliver-company) ## Details - **Director:** George Scribner - **Director:** George Scribner - **Screenplay:** Tim Disney, James Mangold, Jim Cox - **Story:** Roger Allers, Peter Young, Michael Cedeno, David Michener, Mike Gabriel, Gary Trousdale, Chris Bailey, Kirk Wise, Kevin Lima, Vance Gerry, Joe Ranft, Leon Joosen, Jim Mitchell - **Novel:** Charles Dickens - **Editor:** Mark A. Hester, James Melton - **Music:** J.A.C. Redford - **Producer:** Kathleen Gavin - **Cast:** Joey Lawrence as Oliver (voice); Billy Joel as Dodger (voice); Cheech Marin as Tito (voice); Richard Mulligan as Einstein (voice); Roscoe Lee Browne as Francis (voice); Sheryl Lee Ralph as Rita (voice); Bette Midler as Georgette (voice); Dom DeLuise as Fagin (voice) - **Runtime:** 1h 14m - **Certificate (MPA):** G - **Release (the US):** 18 November 1988 - **Genres:** Animation, Comedy, Family - **Budget:** $31 million - **Box office:** $121 million ## Where to watch in the US - Disney+: streaming, hd - Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, hd - Apple TV: rent $3.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $4.99, hd - Apple TV: buy $9.99, sd *Checked 2026-10-04.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, HK, HR, HU, IE, IL, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *The Aristocats* (1970): More cats, more music, and a warmer sense of animal companionship. - *The Rescuers* (1977): Another vulnerable outsider finds help from animals with stronger personalities. - *Ernest & Celestine* (2012), Fi1m 84: An unlikely animal friendship given the patience and tenderness Oliver sometimes lacks. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/ernest-and-celestine.md) - *A Cat in Paris* (2010): A city cat and criminal company, with a sharper nocturnal atmosphere. - *Paddington* (2014), Fi1m 84: A homeless newcomer finds a family, with comic detail for every age. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/paddington.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/oliver-and-company