I have to ask: do audiences really want to watch another dinosaur movie? Most likely, yes, as long as the plot brings something new to the concept. That’s where The End of Oak Street teeters on failure. This is one of those movies that needs a back-end explanation instead of playing out as another too-predictable tale. The trailers give too much away: a stretch of neighbourhood has been teleported away, and the folks caught in the zone have to either become the next Stone Age family or find a way back.
As for how much of Flowervale was sent back, all we know is that a significant chunk is probably Disneyland-sized. The wide shot says it all, and instead of a tight-knit group, we have pockets of confused humans wondering why dinosaurs are lurking in their backyards! As for a plot, all we know is that the Platt family is in dire straits, and they are kind to some neighbours but not others. Denise (Anne Hathaway) and Greg’s (Ewan McGregor) marriage is falling apart, and the kids, after overhearing the problem, are desperate to see their parents work things out.
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