![]() And Leo resorts to the sort of action set pieces that have become so boring in these kinds of films. As much as Leo is that rare kids’ movie about dying - Leo wants to make the most of his life before he croaks - the filmmakers shy away from touching on thoughtful ideas by eventually offering a copout for its lovable lizard. ![]() ![]() An uptight, overly cautious boy has been raised by a mom who practically places him in bubble wrap, afraid of germs, food allergies and the usual bumps and bruises that visit every kid if he wants to enjoy life at all.īut despite the film’s strengths - the grouchy rapport between Sandler and Burr, the freewheeling “Screw it, let’s try this” approach to the storytelling - Leo starts to lose momentum the more it tries to replicate the conventions of animated family films. One spoiled popular girl is the product of an entitled, wealthy dad who will stop at nothing to ensure his angel gets every advantage. ![]() You see, as much as Leo mocks kids for their immaturity and lack of poise, the filmmakers are ultimately critical of their parents, arguing that they’re stifling their children in the futile attempt to make their lives perfect. A lot of them are of the “Get off my lawn” variety, with Leo and Squirtle lamenting how irritating kids are with their smartphone dependency and social-media habits.Īdmittedly, that’s a very funny stance in a movie ostensibly geared to kids - imagine if superhero films spent a large portion of their runtime telling fanboys that they suck - but there’s a surprise in store for viewers. The Sandler in Leo is immensely likable, even if the jokes are extremely hit-or-miss. Either the world has softened on Sandler’s brand of stupidity or it has simply accepted its appeal - while understanding that, if you’re lucky, occasionally a masterpiece like Uncut Gems will sneak out as well. Leo continues a winning streak of sorts for Sandler on Netflix, following on the heels of Hubie Halloween and You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, which found him shifting into Delightful Comedy Icon mode after years of being considered The Devil Incarnate. Likewise, Leo suddenly seems less concerned about making a run for it. Even though the kids are initially weirded out by a talking lizard who sounds like Adam Sandler doing his patented nutty-Jewish-guy voice, they come to love the little green guy. Instead, and much to his surprise, he starts bonding with the little brats, learning about their problems and offering his perspective. Malkin ( Cecily Strong ), assigns the students to each bring Leo home with them so they can learn how to take care of something, the crafty lizard realizes this is his opportunity to spring himself. When the class’ substitute teacher, the unsmiling disciplinarian Ms. That premise is very familiar in the world of mainstream animated kids’ films, but Leo (which is co-directed and co-written by Robert Smigel ) quickly goes its own way. He hasn’t seen the world! He needs to break outta there! (No matter the eras, there are always bullies and spoiled brats and sensitive souls.) Leo and Squirtle crack wise with a seen-it-all superiority often displayed by senior citizens, but Leo freaks out when he learns that lizards only live to be about 75 - and that he’s 74. They’ve both been a decoration in that classroom for years, having seen kids come and go over the decades, and therefore able to recognize patterns in their behavior. The titular lizard resides in a terrarium in a fifth-grade class in Florida, hanging out with his best friend Squirtle ( Bill Burr ), who’s an ancient turtle.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |