Monkey Trouble MPAA Rating: PG Entertainment: +3 Content: +3

A small pet capuchin monkey steals the show in this fun comedy for children. He's a laugh a minute as he chatters, grins, and races around doing his assigned task for Shorty Kohn (Harvey Keitel), a gypsy organ grinder con artist. The capuchin delights the bystanders as he hops around on them, but at the same time secretly relieving them of their jewelry and loose cash. He's so good that two professional gangsters want him and Shorty to work for them. But the monkey decides to leave and takes up with 9 year old Eva (Thora Birch) who names him Dodger. Eva is thrilled to have a pet, but she now has problems because she knows her parents don't want a pet and the gangsters are determined to retrieve Dodger. The action and fun never slow down as she tries to keep her parents from discovering Dodger and to elude the gangsters who are hot on her trail. If all this weren't enough, Eva's parents (Mimi Rogers and Chris McDonald) seem to be giving most of their attention to her baby brother. MONKEY TROUBLE is a uniquely clever, entertaining film which will not only delight children, but mom and dad as well.

And what a joy to find that this film is virtually free of offensive elements! Although preoccupied with Eva's young brother, Eva's parents love her and are attentive to her needs and feelings. When Eva grows weary of deceiving her parents, she consults her teacher who says that telling the truth is a good way to make things better. Eva knows that Dodger's stealing is wrong and with considerable difficulty teaches him not to steal. Refreshingly, only one mild rough word is included in the film and no sexual content.In a somewhat questionable incident, Dodger manages to fire a gun at Shorty. On two occasions, Dodger relieves himself on the floor or the lavatory and Eva uses a child's slang term for urinating as she cleans up after him. Eva isn't a model child, but has a sensitive conscience and sees the error of her ways. It's not uncommon for PG films to be marred by crude language and excessive violence, but MONKEY TROUBLE avoids these pitfalls and is a real winner! It's fun entertainment with some positive messages.

Preview Reviewer: John Evans
Distributor: New Line Cinema, 888 7th Ave., 20th Floor, NY, NY 10106