Adaptation has bright parts, but film lacks cohesive finish
“Lyle, Lyle Crocodile” is a strange beast, both the animal — a city-dwelling croc with the voice of an angel — and the movie, which is a monstrous hybrid of unexpected tones. Based on the children’s book series by Bernard Waber, adapted by Will Davies, “Lyle, Lyle Crocodile” is directed by Josh Gordon and Will Speck, who are known for more adult comedies like “Office Christmas Party” and “Blades of Glory,” and they bring that ironic sensibility to the film — both a blessing and a curse.
It’s clear every adult in the room is in on the joke in the over-the-top “Lyle, Lyle Crocodile,” including Gordon and Speck, as well as Scoot McNairy and Constance Wu, who play Mr. and Mrs. Primm, the gobsmacked couple who find themselves cohabitating with Lyle in a Manhattan brownstone after their son Josh (Winslow Fegley) befriends the creature.
The campy tone is underwritten by Brett Gelman, who gives a bravura comedic turn as their downstairs neighbor Mr. Grumps, and by Javier Bardem, who goes for broke in a tour-de-force performance of tragic clownery playing magician/musician Hector P. Valenti. The showman discovered Lyle singing the salsa classic “I Like It Like That” in the back of a pet shop, and he has Col. Tom Parker dreams dancing in his head, hoping to make a buck off Lyle’s talent.
But the heart of the movie, Fegley, doesn’t seem aware of these winks or nudges, as he delivers a performance of pure pathos as a lonely kid longing for a pet. After an initial shock, Josh is thrilled to discover Lyle, who has been stowing away in the attic while Hector is out trying to scare up some cash, and the two bond.
Most humans are terrified when encountering the enormous apex predator wearing a jaunty scarf. But when Lyle opens his jaws, it’s not to chomp on a head, but to let loose his dulcet tones, courtesy of pop star Shawn Mendes. His repertoire includes classic tunes as well as original Broadway-style belters composed by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
“Lyle, Lyle Crocodile” goes for a kind of “Clifford the Big Red Dog” vibe, with the whole “fantastical pet in New York City” plot, but there’s not enough connective tissue in the writing. Pasek and Paul’s songs end up having to do much of the emotional heavy lifting, and the rest of the film feels cobbled together from random parts scavenged from other kids’ movies.
The main conflict is Lyle’s stage fright, which prevents Hector from monetizing his discovery. A TikTok-like app is seemingly the perfect solution for the stage fright, but that is swept aside for a hackneyed climax featuring a chase across New York City to perform onstage at an “America’s Got Talent”type show so that Lyle can have his Susan Boyle moment. It all feels rather dated.
In moments, “Lyle, Lyle Crocodile” is a whimsical family adventure comedy, but at other times, it’s a fever dream. Both are fine options, but the purgatory in between these tones is too strange to actually work. But what do I know? The kids and parents at the screening erupted in applause at the end, so apparently, a star has been born.
Running time: 1:46 MPAA rating: PG (for mild peril and thematic elements)
Where to watch: In theaters