Tummy Trouble (1989)

Tummy Trouble is a beautifully engineered burst of old-school cartoon mayhem, the kind that feels like a lost Tex Avery short shot through with the extra sparkle of Roger Rabbit’s world. It’s essentially a masterclass in escalating slapstick: one simple babysitting job turns into a manic, pinball-paced tour of chaos where every frame seems to set up the next perfectly timed gag. The animation is elastic and expressive, the humor gleefully physical, and the tone stays light even as it flirts with “how can this possibly get worse” hospital pandemonium. If you don’t enjoy exaggerated cartoon peril or the relentless rhythm of classic shorts, it may be too much—but if you do, it’s a compact, laugh-dense treat that reminds you why Roger was such a sensation in the first place.

Tummy Trouble is clearly trying to deliver a fast, old-school Roger Rabbit slapstick sprint: one simple babysitting setup that spirals into nonstop hospital mayhem. If you don’t enjoy rapid-fire cartoon cruelty—Roger getting flattened, zapped, jabbed, and generally punished every few seconds—this will feel more exhausting than funny, and the “plot” is basically just an excuse to string gags together. Some of the medical peril and exaggerated surgery imagery (including a chainsaw threat and lots of needles) can also be a bit much for sensitive viewers or younger kids despite the overall light tone. That said, the animation is slick, the timing is sharp, and if you’re specifically in the mood for chaotic, Looney-Tunes-style pain comedy with Roger as the human punching bag, it does exactly what it sets out to do.