Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile Review: Child-Friendly Live Action Animation Adventure

Cast : Javier Bardem, Constance Wu, Scoot McNairy, Shawn Mendes, Winslow Fegley, Brett Gelman
Directors : Josh Gordon, Will Speck

Lyle, the music-loving, scarf-wearing crocodile who lives on Manhattan's East 88th Street, ever since the first book in the series by Bernard Waber, have fascinated children since 1962. This live-action musical adaptation with CGI animals featuring the songs of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul lends generic showmanship to a children-friendly exercise with a recognizable cast.

Hector P Valenti (Javier Bardem), an aspiring performer and magician who finds it difficult to get a stint in front of an audience, goes to an exotic pet shop in search of a new act. In a back room there, he finds a tiny baby crocodile who sings in Shawn Mendes' tenor voice. Hector perfects his act with his new friend Lyle, but when it comes time to face an audience, Lyle just can't perform. Hector is forced to go back on the road to make some money and leaves Lyle in the attic, promising he will be back.

That's animal cruelty in the real world but in a children's fantasy like this it's just another event meant to allow a new needy family to experience Lyle at his lilting, adventurous best.

The Primms; Katie (Constance Wu), a well-known author of cook books, Joseph (Scoot McNairy) a school teacher, and their son, Josh (Winslow Fegley), a struggling loner who feels alienated in a city like New York, move in. Their life brims with happiness and excitement after meeting Lyle and overcoming the initial hijinks. Everyone here is grappling with self-esteem issues and each one helps the other in coping with their inadequacies.

While this may not be an imminently memorable film, it manages to warm the cockles of your heart with the blandishment of accompanying song and dance. The film is rather unambitious in its attempt to entertain the young audience it is targeted at. The lighter moments here are facilitated by the singing. The derivative plotting may be a downer but the high cuteness quotient more than makes up for it.

This is a cheesy family entertainer with good solid performances and rather fragile writing. If you are not expecting much, you are certain to be entertained!