Watch Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a 1988 American live-action/animated fantasy crime-comedy film directed by Robert Zemeckis, produced by Steven Spielberg, and starring Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, and Joanna Cassidy. The film takes place in Hollywood during the late 1940s, where humans and animated cartoon characters (called "Toons") co-exist, with the Toons being treated as second-class citizens.

The story follows Eddie Valiant (Hoskins), a down-on-his-luck private detective who is hired by movie studio owner R.K. Maroon (Alan Tilvern) to investigate rumors that Jessica Rabbit (Kathleen Turner), the sultry wife of famous cartoon character Roger Rabbit (Charles Fleischer), is having an affair. When Marvin Acme (Stubby Kaye), the owner of Toontown and a major employer of Toons, is found murdered, Roger becomes the prime suspect. With the help of Eddie's girlfriend Dolores (Cassidy) and a Toon taxi driver named Benny (Fleischer), Eddie sets out to clear Roger's name and uncover the true culprit behind the murder.

However, things become more complicated when the evil Judge Doom (Lloyd), who is determined to eradicate Toontown and build a freeway in its place, arrives on the scene. Doom unleashes his army of sentient, menacing Toon henchmen, known as the "Dip" squad, to stop Eddie and Roger from solving the case. The film features several cameos from classic and contemporary cartoon characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Mickey Mouse, and Betty Boop, among many others.

The film's innovative visuals were achieved through a combination of traditional hand-drawn animation and live-action filming. The Toons were animated using traditional cel animation techniques, while the live-action actors interacted with props and animatronics to give the illusion of sharing the same physical space as the Toons. The film won four Oscars at the 61st Academy Awards, including Best Visual Effects and Best Film Editing.

At its core, Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a love letter to the golden age of Hollywood and the art of animation. It pays homage to the history of animation and the artistry behind it, while also exploring themes of discrimination and injustice. The film presents a magical world where reality and fantasy intersect, where humans and Toons live side by side and anything is possible. But it also shows the darker side of Hollywood, with corrupt studio executives, seedy back alleys, and a sense of disillusionment with the American Dream.

Overall, Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a classic film that has become a cultural touchstone for multiple generations. It is a rare blend of humor, heart, and cutting-edge special effects that continues to captivate audiences today.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a 1988 fantasy movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 44 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.7 and a MetaScore of 83.