Synopsis
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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Cast
- Sam the OrangutanDunston
- Jason AlexanderRobert Grant
- Faye DunawayMrs. Dubrow
- Rupert EverettLord Rutledge
- Graham SackBrian Grant
- Paul ReubensBuck LaFarge
- Glenn ShadixLionel Spalding
- Nathan DavisVictor Dubrow
- Jennifer BasseyMrs. Dellacroce
- Eric LloydKyle Grant
- 90
Los Angeles Times
Dunston Checks In is a delightful and funny family film of exceptional high style. - 80
Variety
Director Ken Kwapis displays a deft touch, balancing realistic elements and outsize characterizations. Pic’s unflagging pace and the unexpectedly witty script by John Hopkins and Bruce Graham complement the simplicity of this comedy construct. - 75
San Francisco Chronicle
Dunston Checks In is a fast- moving, well-done farce that both kids and adults will enjoy. - 75
Washington Post
A cheerful romp through a fussy New York hotel. - 63
Baltimore Sun
Dunston Checks In checks in somewhere between cute and zany. It's never really funny, but director Ken Kwapis has a low flair for slapstick that occasionally ignites a spark or two. - 50
The New York Times
The movie should have been a steadily escalating rampage that results in outrageous property damage. Instead, it wastes too much of its time developing the cardboard characters of the hotel manager, Robert (Jason Alexander), and his two mischievous sons, Kyle (Eric Lloyd) and Brian (Graham Sack). - 40
Austin Chronicle
A crowd-pleaser for the under-10 set judging from the preview audience’s reaction, Dunston Checks In offers a few funny scenes, one-liners, and characters, but not enough to inspire the entire film. - 40
New Orleans Times-Picayune
Dunston does all sorts of zany things in Ken Kwapis' wisely brief feature, but whether the movie is therefore worth seeing will depend on whether his monkeyshines are apt to make the viewer go ape. [12 Jan 1996, p.L24]