Sony Pictures’ 2022 live-action comedy “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile” follows the story of the titular anthropomorphic singing crocodile (Shawn Mendes) abandoned by his owner in the attic of a New York City brownstone and rediscovered by the Primm family. Together, Lyle helps the Primm family navigate and adjust to their new life in the city, all while working to keep his existence a secret from their downstairs neighbor, Mr. Grumps (Brett Gelman).

Following the widespread success of “Paddington” – a 2014 live-action take on the best-selling British children’s book series –  “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile” showed promise as a similar live-action adaptation. Yet, while the film reflects a near-parallel premise to “Paddington,” the similarities end there. The movie merely serves as a lukewarm execution of the same tropes, poorly addressing the characters’ internal and external conflicts.

This problem prominently shows in the depiction of young Josh Primm’s (Winslow Fegley) struggles with anxiety. When first introduced to the Primm family’s son, his anxiety around being in a new city with a myriad of unknown threats remained heavily emphasized, giving audiences the impression that this will be a recurring theme throughout the movie.  However, as the film continues, Josh’s anxiety only returns when necessary to advance the plot. While Fegley succeeded in delivering a standout performance in the third act, the film’s problematic depiction of anxiety as a plot point ultimately falls short in its attempts to deliver a universal message that audiences can resonate with.

“Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile” struggles to balance the many plotlines and conflicts shown in its inconsistent and underdeveloped characters. After “resolving” Josh’s anxiety, the film quickly  moves on to solve the other Primms’ internal conflicts through a singing crocodile, such as Mrs. Primm’s (Constance Wu) uptight and controlling tendencies and Mr. Primm’s (Scoot McNairy) struggles with confidence in his new job. 

Despite awkward timing of conflicts and rushed resolutions, the film succeeded in containing a few comedic bits and exciting action sequences. Although audiences will also likely enjoy the upbeat and enjoyable musical scenes, the original songs remained unmemorable, at least in comparison to prior work from songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who worked on ”The Greatest Showman” and “La La Land.” 

Overall, “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile” isn’t unenjoyable to watch, and younger audiences will likely enjoy the film. However, the film misses the mark in its attempts to create a cohesive storyline with complex characters and overarching themes. Ultimately, those looking for a timeless family film starring a loveable anthropomorphic storybook animal will simply have to turn back to the cinematic perfection of Paddington and Paddington 2 while patiently awaiting the upcoming release of Paddington 3.

2 caviar eggs out of 5