Can talking animals really help a lonely zookeeper find his true love?

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the 2011 comedy Zookeeper, a heartbroken zookeeper discovers his animal charges can talk. They break their code of silence to teach him mating rituals, hoping to help him win back an ex-girlfriend. But as he navigates these bizarre lessons, he realizes that changing himself might be the wrong approach.

The film follows Griffin Keyes, a dedicated zookeeper at Boston's Franklin Park Zoo, who is struggling to move on after a painful breakup. When his zoo colleagues—a group of animals including a lion, a gorilla, and an elephant—decide to intervene, they reveal their ability to speak. They attempt to coach Griffin in human courtship, but their advice often leads to humiliation rather than romance. The narrative takes a turn when Griffin bonds with Bernie, a gorilla who has been unfairly isolated due to a false accusation of violence against a former handler.

Behind the scenes, the production faced significant controversy regarding its animal actors. Following the film's release, reports emerged about the treatment of animals involved in the project. PETA staged protests after the death of Tweet, an 18-year-old giraffe who had appeared in the film and died after ingesting pieces of a blue tarp in his stall. Additionally, a 2005 video released by Animal Defenders International showed Tai, the elephant featured in the movie, being mistreated by trainers, leading to widespread calls for a boycott of the film.

Despite these challenges, the film was a commercial success, grossing $170 million against an $80 million budget. It marked a significant moment for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, serving as the studio's first production released following its bankruptcy filing the previous year. While the film received generally negative reviews, it remains a notable example of the high-concept comedy genre, blending live-action performance with voice-acting contributions from stars like Sylvester Stallone, Cher, and Judd Apatow.

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