Leo

***Leo*** is a 2023 American computer-animated coming-of-age musical comedy film directed by Robert Marianetti, Robert Smigel and David Wachtenheim (in Marianetti and Wachtenheim's feature directorial debuts), written by Smigel, Adam Sandler, and Paul Sado, and produced by Sandler. The second animated feature from Sandler's production company Happy Madison Productions, it stars him in the titular voice role, alongside Bill Burr and Cecily Strong.

*Leo* was released on Netflix on November 21, 2023.

## Why This Movie Takes a Lot of Help and a Little Love (no pun intended)

1. The idea of a lizard living in an elementary school as a class pet, was taken home by students every day where it would give advice to them, is both interesting, creative, and original, even for a Adam Sandler animated movie, who used to create bad movies, but this one is much better.
2. Adam Sandler did a really good job for voice acting Leo, and it was actually surprising since he mostly plays three different character traits (the annoying man-child with a silly voice in Billy Madison, the mean-spirited cynical jerk in Happy Gilmore, and the struggling family man in Big Daddy and Click) in every single movie that he acts, since the last time that he played different characters traits in other movies was Hotel Transylvania and Uncut Jems. ￼
3. The kids in this movie are surprisingly enough relatable, like Summer, the kid who talks too much, Jayda, the rich popular girl, Eli, the kid who's been overprotected, Mia, the science-wiz kid and has divorced parents, just to name a few.
4. Ms. Malkin is also a relatable character, since, at first glance she was this uptight, unlikable, strict teacher who always stick to these old methods like punishing students for their bad behavior, always giving them too much homework for students to study hard, and her stern behavior to teach them responsibility; however, as the movie goes on, it reveals that the reason why she acted this way is that because she has no family, feeling a bit underappreciated as a student, wanting to be as good of an influence as the teacher she once had, her desire for a credit she didn't accomplished, and the way she thought that doing things her way would bring the happiness she once had as a student. It's rare to see a movie where a teacher was characterized with depth, as something that you would never see in any other movies for kids.
5. Impressive and detailed computer animation by Animal Logic, which is rather ironic since this is the same studio who made Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of *Ga'Hoole, The Lego Movie, League of Superpets, and The Magician's Elephant (the latter was also distributed by Netflix).*
6. Unlike other movies that delivers the same positive messages over and over again that felt forced and tagged-on (notable examples like A Troll in Central Park, Norm of the North, The Emoji Movie, and Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Magical World), this movie's messages works here because it put these messages in real-life scenarios about these kids' struggles and how to correct their mistakes by finding out what cause the kids behave like this in the first place. Not only does it allows the kids who watch this felt related, but it also helps the message it tries to give feel justified and touching instead of felt a bit forced and shoving down your throats.
7. At times, this movie can be really funny, such as the scene where one of the students mentioned that the Magic Land Park was banned in Europe, and then the teacher said, "Yes, but not in Florida."; or the other scene where Leo destroys the Lego model set in slow motion while screaming (in pain) like Godzilla, which is ironic since Leo himself is a reptile, and Godzilla was also a reptile too, making the joke even more funnier.
8. Leo's speech **"OW! MOTHER OF GODZILLA!"** is very funny.
9. There's a scene where Leo thinks about the years he had been gone through, seeing the kids from other generations to the day when he's little, was rather interesting and funny to look at.
10. Most of the scenes where one of the kids take Leo home and was listening to Leo's advice to these kids was heartwarming and satisfying to watch.
11. Even though this movie was a comedy, there are times when the movie had a really good sense of drama.
12. Since it was a musical, there are some moments where the characters burst out singing, and some of them can be really entertaining to listen to, such as the scene where the kids sing about the things that they've thought and done when they're much younger.
13. "When It's Us" by Tiffany Topol was one of the few songs that are actually decent and catchy to listen to.
14. Good sense of pacing.

## Bad Qualities

1. Leo's voice can be annoying at times (depending on your view).
2. Summer, while also a likable character, can also be annoying at times, due to her constant talking.
3. While the animation may look impressive, it can look a bit stiff and janky at times, especially when the human characters move.
4. Some noticeable product placements, like Cheetos and Lego, although it was used scarcely.￼
5. Squirtle can be an unlikable character at times, mostly because of how he's jealous of Leo always getting the attention by the other kids, although he was a helpful friend and he did apologize to him by giving Leo his shell, which is rather disgusting to look at in a kids movie.
6. There's a scene where the lizards his species mentioned that they can live up to 110 years. How come Leo's species can live up to 110 years when an average lizard his species (tuatara) can live up to 100 years? This makes no sense in context, although it was done intentionally for comedic purposes.
7. The toddlers in the movie, while intentionally designed like wide-eyed piranhas, can be rather horrifying to look at (also depending on your view).
8. Mrs. Salinas, while likable, has few amounts of screen time from the start and to the last, although it was justifiable since she's going to have a baby soon.
9. The scene where Coach Kimura singing Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae) by Silento doesn't quite aged well, since the main singer Silento was sent to prison by being accused of murdering his cousin.