Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile

"In the shadow of the city
When the days have disappeared
Some might say it's sorta gritty
Full of faces to be feared"- Shawn Mendes

To my parents, who once took me to the movies as a child

Some films make you laugh and succeed in piercing your shell by their numerous qualities and by a certain will not to sink into the easy way. Certainly Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile is one of our favorites this year and by its hectic pace, its many excellent musical numbers, this film will touch your heart and stands out as one of the best feel good movies of this year. 

While most films no longer manage to find the perfect model of family films, often too simplistic to appeal to a very young audience, Enzo the Crocodile (Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile) manages to appeal to a young audience as well as to an adult audience who will find here what worked perfectly in the fantastic films of the 80s (we think in particular of the film Gremlins). While some people still think with the public failure of West Side Story (2021) that musicals are no longer in fashion, films like Spirited on AppleTV+ and this one tend to prove the contrary and that it is above all necessary to be creative, to have endearing characters and above all to know how to introduce the musical numbers at the right time 

As in a circus act, a dance act, it's all about rhythm and the heart that the artists put into their art to make it universal and touching. Certainly Enzo the Crocodile (Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile) benefits from many memorable songs sung by Shawn Mendes and also from actors that we appreciate like Javier Bardem and Constance Wu. The two directors who already have to their credit Blades of Glory (2007), The Switch (2010), The Power Inside (2013) and Office Christmas Party (2016) simply make here their best film to date.

Enzo the Crocodile (Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile) is inspired by the best-selling novel series written by Bernard Waber, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, and is a musical comedy that combines live action and CGI to make this peculiar crocodile believable, as he does not speak but can sing and dance like a human being. The first appearance of this character will remind many of Gizmo in Gremlins by replacing humming with song lyrics. Taken in by a magician Hector P. Valenti (Javier Bardem) in search of a new act that could make him rich and famous, he will teach him to develop his songs but also to dance. Unfortunately their first show turns out to be a failure when Lyle, Lyle has stage fright and is unable to sing. The magician Hector P. Valenti is then forced to go back on the road and to lull Lyle, Lyle in his house.  Eighteen months later, the Primm family and their child Josh (Winslow Fegley) (Constance Wu, Scoot McNairy, Winslow Fegley) move to New York and arrive at the house where Enzo (Lyle, Lyle) lives.  Josh struggles to adjust to his new school and new friends, but that all changes when he discovers Enzo, a singing crocodile who loves baths and caviar and lives in the attic of his new home. The script by William Davies is full of excellent ideas and illustrates themes such as family, discovery of unknown things, courage and above all friendship. 

The duo of directors Will Speck and Josh Gordon managed to offer entertainment with a soundtrack composed of songs performed for the most part by Shawn Mendes (Doryan Ben in the French version) but also by the main performers such as Javier Bardem, Constance Wu and Winslow Fegley for a memorable duo.

While many fantasy comedies seem to hide the thinness of their scenario behind spectacular special effects, Enzo the Crocodile (Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile) turns out to be an excellent surprise in which music plays a major role in bringing a family together, to overcome its fears and especially the importance of having a pet to make its life more beautiful and forget by finding it after school or his day of work a presence capable of making you laugh, of tenderizing you and especially to make you more human One leaves the film simply happy with the desire to go to see it again and to sing the songs Top Of The World, Rip Up the Recipe and especially Take a look at us now... An advice, go see this excellent musical that will make you laugh as much as move you and want to sing ...

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile
Directed by Will Speck, Josh Gordon
Screenplay by William Davies
Based on Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile by Bernard Waber
Produced by Hutch Parker, Will Speck, Josh Gordon
Starring Javier Bardem, Constance Wu, Winslow Fegley, Scoot McNairy, Brett Gelman, Shawn Mendes
Cinematography : Javier Aguirresarobe
Edited by Richard Pearson
Music by Matthew Margeson (score), Benj Pasek, Justin Paul (songs)
Production companies : Columbia Pictures, Eagle Pictures, TSG Entertainment II
Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing
Release date : October 7, 2022 (United States), november30 2022 (France)
Running time : 106 minutes

Seen on November 20, 2022 at Gaumont Disney Village, Room 3 seat A19

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