One of the 10 best films of the '80s

Rating: 10/10 (3 December 2000)

"Who Framed Roger Rabbit" is one of my favorite movies of the 1980's. This is a truly original movie which combines live action with animation, and the result looks incredible. Bob Hoskins gives what has got to be the funniest performance of his career as a private detective who gets involved with cartoon character Roger Rabbit when the hyperactive toon is framed for murder. Director Robert Zemeckis has repeatedly said that "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" was the most difficult movie he's ever made, and by the looks of it, I can easily see why. He did an excellent job with the live action part of the movie (like when a toon is holding a real gun; in reality it's a real gun hanging on a wire). He was unfairly overlooked by Oscar voters; he should have gotten an Oscar nomination for Best Director (six years later Zemeckis got revenge; he made "Forrest Gump" which he got nominated for and won the Oscar as Best Director). The special effects (which did win the Best Visual Effects Oscar) are remarkable. The cartoon animation (by Richard Williams, who won a special Oscar for his work here) is spectacular. Everything about "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" is perfect. It's a dazzling motion picture that will never be topped in the department of putting live action with animation together. A great movie.
**** (out of four)