The mileage varies for animated films with adults, and the experience can drag regardless of its quality or appeal to children. Some see Netflix’s Leo as another musical romp for the PG crowd, yet others cannot ignore the looming presence of Adam Sandler. This film, another of countless collaborations between Netflix and Happy Madison Productions, has garnered unusually positive reviews for the maligned company; however, overlooking Sandler’s heavy involvement will be near impossible for those who cannot stomach his over-the-top style.
‘Leo’ Uses Simple Plot Tropes to Showcase Sandler’s Kid-Friendly Side
Trapped his whole life in an elementary school classroom, an old lizard escapes when he learns he will die soon. Aiming to experience the joys of life as a free reptile, he instead imparts his decades of wisdom to the students of the class, having adventures along the way.
Typical Talking Animal Tales Lead to Standard Messages
Leo has all the elements we have seen in the animation formula: talking animals, universal lesson takeaways for kids, physical humor, and occasional adult jokes that are often more uncomfortable than chuckle-worthy. Once the core storyline sequence takes off, the destination is clear: a motormouth kid gets told to listen to others, an overprotected boy breaks free from parental hovering, and all the while, explanative songs range from uninspired to obnoxious.
Netflix’s budget for Leo is competent for a smooth, colorful look, but the designs from the writers and directors leave far too much in need of improvement. In short, there is very little in Leo that adults will latch onto, with all but the most forgiving adult viewers making it through every kid’s problem-solving.
Happy Madison Productions + Netflix Success Rate
From The Ridiculous 6 onward, every Sandler-produced movie has landed on Netflix as an exclusive feature. While the company has famously supported the partnership and vouched for the streaming numbers, the critics have never favored the films. His best film of the year, the recent cute PG-13 coming-of-age comedy You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, scored rare positive reviews, following the partnership’s best movie, Hustle, by just over a year. Considering the quality of his other gross-out, lowbrow humor ploys, his displays of humanity knock it out of the park by comparison.
Still from ‘Leo’
In that respect, Leo feels like a setback for Happy Madison. Murder Mystery 2 and the universally hated The Out-Laws also graced this year, but the superiority of Bat Mitzvah and Hustle is infuriatingly evident. Instead of phoned-in rehashes, audiences of all inclinations want authenticity in comedy and drama. Hustle and Sandler’s other rare drama roles proved that he could lead the charge amusingly but meaningfully, and taking the sidelines for others to shine (like his daughters Sadie and Sunny) also yielded successful results.
As a beloved star, Sandler feels the need to use his zany leading man approach even in the latter half of his career when it looks desperate. It might affect younger generations who need to hear these messages and laugh at things adults have seen a thousand times in movies, but adults looking for genuine heart or a valuable new experience will have to look elsewhere.
Leo is streaming now on Netflix.
