‘Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile’ Review – A Charming Family Musical Despite Not Hitting All The Right Notes

If audiences can look past the absurdity of the premise, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile delivers an entertaining and humorous time at the theaters. This is a movie that does not take itself too seriously and does not expect audiences to either. It is best described as a perfectly serviceable family film that utilizes the common children’s movie premise of an unexpected friend that helps a family find happiness. While it does not contribute anything new to this premise, the film does deliver a heartwarming albeit simple message that could have been stronger with some different creative choices.

The movie follows a loving couple, Mr. and Mrs. Primm, as they move into their new home in New York with their son, Josh. Unbeknownst to them, they share their home with another tenant, a singing crocodile named Lyle. Over the course of the film, Lyle the Crocodile reminds the Primm Family to find joy in life and the company of each other. 

Despite retreading common ideas from other movies in the genre, the emotional beats of this film work quite well. Its core themes of family and belonging are sure to resonate with young audiences and their parents. While the film may feature a giant singing crocodile, it remains a very human story about finding the right people to help you grow. The friendship between Lyle and Josh not only showcases the strength of love but also serves as a reminder of how meeting the right person can change your life for the better. As the Primm family grows to love Lyle, so too does the audience.

From a visual perspective, the look and feel of this movie perfectly matches the family-oriented light-hearted adventure that we embark on with Lyle. The colors of New York are vibrant, the musical sequences are bright and bombastic, and the city feels alive and lived in. While this element is often overlooked in children’s films, it is clear the filmmakers made intentional choices when developing the overall aesthetic of the film. Every visual element, down to the shade of green that they chose for Lyle himself, feels bright and fun. My favorite example of this was the inclusion of the artwork from the original children’s novel, which served as a simple yet charming reminder of the inspiration for the film and the tone that it seeks to recreate.

This fun tone is aided by a cast that is unafraid to commit to the whimsical nature of its source material. Javier Bardem’s over-the-top performance as Lyle’s former stage partner, Hector P. Valenti, is a treat to watch as he steals the spotlight of every scene that he is in. With such a strange premise, this role needed an actor who would dive in and lose themselves in the fun of the character, which Bardem is more than willing to provide.

Winslow Fegley delivers a more subtle yet notable performance as child protagonist, Josh Primm. This character is the one that audiences can relate to, as Fegley delivers a performance that perfectly embodies the feelings of uncertainty and doubt that come with growing up and adjusting to change. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Primm, played by Scoot McNairy and Constance Wu respectively, deliver perfectly serviceable performances with the limited screen time they are given. McNairy delivers some great physical comedy moments while Wu offers up a convincing performance as a caring mother. However, neither character is given much of an opportunity to shine.

Rounding out the human cast is Brett Gelman, who proves to be another solid casting in his role as the film’s antagonist, the appropriately named Mr. Grumps. Gelman delivers the same sarcasm and social awkwardness to this angry neighbor character that he brings to his character of Murray on Stranger Things. This is a case of an actor elevating a script through their performance. 

The most divisive casting of this film is Shawn Mendes’ role as the titular crocodile. While the premise of the film is already comical, it is quite jarring to hear Mendes’ singing voice coming out of Lyle. There are times during the film when you might wonder whether a different casting would have made the premise less distracting. Mendes’ style of singing and riffing is distinct, and while he does a great job of singing the film’s pop-inspired soundtrack, it does kind of take you out of the film a bit. In most sequences, the minute the performance kicks into gear, the scene shifts from an impactful character moment to what feels like a CGI Crocodile Shawn Mendes concert.

When it comes to music, the marketing for the film boasts about its impressive soundtrack, which was developed by the songwriting duo: Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Best known for their work on other movie musical soundtracks such as The Greatest Showman and La La Land, the pair’s involvement is a major selling point for musical fans such as myself. However, the pair’s contributions to this film’s soundtrack prove to be a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to creating a cohesive sound. 

Musicals are most effective when they can interweave their songs with the themes and message of the movie. The songs work best when they feel like they belong in the world that the film establishes. This is not the case in this film, as Pasek and Paul’s songs feel disjointed and out of place at times. While the songs are admittedly fun to sing and dance to, they do not feel personal to this film. The soundtrack contains a wide variety of songs ranging from “traditional” musical songs like the Javier Bardem and Shawn Mendes duet, “Take a Look at Us Now” to more somber ballads such as “Carried Away”. The soundtrack lacks the lyrical or melodic elements and motifs that Pasek and Paul typically use to unite their soundtracks thematically. Without such connections, the soundtrack presents itself more as generic pop rather than songs written specifically to tell this story.

The uneven nature of this soundtrack contributes to the film’s greatest shortcoming: a failure to take full advantage of its premise. The movie’s central idea is a character that can only communicate with others through song. When Lyle sings, it is the only time that he can express to the other characters how he is feeling. Music provides another way for characters to understand and connect with each other. For such a premise to be effective, the few moments a character’s voice is heard need to have meaning. However, in the case of this film, a majority of the songs are flashy yet lacking in substance. 

Having the main character only communicate through song seems like the perfect opportunity for music to be the driving force for character growth. Music is the only way for the Primm family to truly understand and connect with Lyle. The songs can not only serve a narrative purpose but also further the development of other characters and their arcs. While this idea is touched upon in some songs, the film only uses music to show Lyle’s connection being formed with some of the characters. Meanwhile, a majority of the film’s songs feel dropped in and lack connection to the overall plot structure. As a result of this, the musical sequences feel more like “music videos” rather than story elements that serve the plot. 

This issue is best demonstrated through the sequence for the song, “Top of the World”, an important character moment where Josh is finally able to see Lyle as more than a crocodile. In hearing Lyle sing, Josh understands and connects with Lyle for the first time. While this is a fun and visually interesting music sequence, it feels more like a concert performance rather than a genuine scene. Josh is made a bystander rather than a participant, depriving the character of the opportunity to truly connect with Lyle through song. On its own, it is an entertaining scene, but when it comes to furthering the relationship between the two characters, it feels like missed potential. This scene is indicative of the flaws of the film as a whole, which has a good message but fails to tie all of its elements together in a meaningful way. It is an average movie that could have been more impactful with a few tweaks.

Lyle Lyle Crocodile is not groundbreaking and retreads many common themes found in the family film genre. However, its commitment to the fun and nonsensical nature of its premise allows the film to deliver a safe yet confused adventure through music. The film’s strange premise, fun aesthetic, and committed cast are bound to make it an enjoyable experience for families despite its shortcomings in other areas.

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile is currently playing in theaters courtesy of Sony. 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0W6O7mSlaU]