Loveable Lyle

NICK EICHER, HOST: Today is Friday, October 7th. Thank you for turning to WORLD Radio to help start your day.

Good morning. I’m Nick Eicher.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: And I’m Myrna Brown. Coming next on The World and Everything in It: a singing crocodile?

EICHER: That’s right. Arts and media editor Collin Garbarino reviews Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile—a new movie for the whole family from Columbia Pictures.

AUDIO: [Mom singing “Rip up the Recipe”]

COLLIN GARBARINO: Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile debuts in theaters today. It’s a live-action musical comedy about a family who shares their home with a loveable and talented CGI crocodile. The movie’s based on the series of illustrated children’s books by Bernard Waber. The first book in the series is called The House on East 88th Street. It was published in 1962. And while the movie updates the setting to the present day, it maintains the beloved story’s charm.

[Lyle singing]

Valenti: A singing crocodile? Lyle, Lyle. Hector P. Valenti, star of stage and screen, at your service.

[Valenti laughing]

Pop star Shawn Mendes voices Lyle the crocodile. Javier Bardem plays Hector P. Valenti, the man who discovers Lyle can sing. Valenti has dreams of taking Lyle on the stage, so the two work on a song and dance routine.

MUSIC: [“Take a Look at us Now”]

Things don’t work out according to plan. Valenti leaves, and not long after, the Primm family moves into his old brownstone house in New York City. Young Josh Primm, played by Winslow Fegley, struggles with the move. Josh suffers from anxiety, and big city life intimidates him.

Josh: What was that?

Alexa: That is an ambulance.

Josh: What was that?

Alexa: That was a car tire.

[growl]

Josh: What was that?

Alexa: I have no idea what that was.

The new situation also stresses his parents, played by Constance Wu and Scoot McNairy. And they’re worried about their son. But everything starts to change for Josh when he finds Lyle hiding in their attic.

Josh: He’s not dangerous.

Mom: He’s a crocodile.

Josh: Okay, yes. Crocodiles can bite through bone. And yes, they have a taste for human flesh. But he’s not like that. He wears a scarf. And he can sing.

Lyle teaches the Primms to relax and have fun. The Primms give Lyle the love of a family.

[Mom and Lyle singing “Rip up the Recipe”]

Josh: Mom?

Don’t expect many surprises from Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile. The story is a little formulaic. But I have to admit it’s a crowd-pleasing formula. A sweet family needs some help, and a cute animal friend reminds them about what’s important in life. If you’ve seen a Paddington Bear movie you know where things are going. There’s even a grumpy neighbor—he’s actually named Mr. Grumps—who tries to keep everyone from having a good time.

But Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile keeps things fresh with original songs written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the song-writing duo for The Greatest Showman and La La Land. Some of the songs are pretty catchy.

MUSIC: [“Top of the World”]

The film is rated PG for a couple of mildly scary scenes, but it’s free of objectionable content. On the whole, I enjoyed Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile. It leaves the audience with the feel-good message that everyone needs a family. And it also reminds us we should use our gifts out of love for one another.

What’s not to like about a singing crocodile?

I’m Collin Garbarino.

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