Zookeeper

Griffin Keyes tends the animals at Franklin Park Zoo with warmth and patience, earning a soft spot from visitors and keepers alike. He has long preferred the company of chimpanzees and giraffes to the humans around him, a habit that cost him a marriage proposal years earlier to a self focused ex named Stephanie. When Stephanie reappears, the zoo residents decide to lend a hand, secretly discovering they can talk and using this new power to coach Griffin in the art of romance. The rules they lay down are blunt and funny, and Griffin follows along, hoping to win back what he lost while discovering a new sense of confidence and belonging among his animal friends and learning dating tricks.

Directed by Frank Coraci and released in 2011, Zookeeper originates from an original screenplay by Kevin James, Nick Bakay and Jay Scherick, delivering a blend of broad physical humor and family friendly warmth set in a bustling zoo for audiences.

The film grossed about 169.9 million worldwide on an 80 million budget, giving it solid box office profitability and hinting at broad audience appeal across ages, with strong performance in family theaters and solid international showings for family audiences worldwide.

Reviews were mixed, noting James's broad physical humor and the movie's warm family tone, while some critics judged the plot lightweight. Central themes include friendship across species, self confidence, and learning to balance work and romance in a zoo setting, a formula that many families appreciate for years to come.

The talking animals premise echoes in other light hearted comedies of the era, producing set pieces and reinforcing that animals can be loyal confidants in human romance plots. That blend of warmth and humor sticks with viewers after the credits roll, making Zookeeper a dependable choice for family movie nights.