Leo

November 19th, 2023

MOVIE: LEO

STARRING: ADAM SANDLER, BILL BURR, CECILY STRONG, JASON ALEXANDER

DIRECTED BY: ROBERT MARIANETTI, ROBERT SMIGEL, DAVID WACHTENHEIM

AMovieGuy.com’s RATING: 3 STARS (Out of 4)

A movie about a lizard named Leo? Now that is a story I can get behind. It’s not the only movie of 2023 called Leo either, there was the Bollywood film, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, which featured more action than the one I am writing about. What I can say is that this Leo is one of the funniest movies that Adam Sandler has made since You Don’t Mess with the Zohan or before that with Click. Either way, this is an adorable family film, about a class pet, who creates a bond with 5th grade students. Leo is a laugh riot and one of the best-animated movies of 2023. I’m just happy that a movie with my name is this good.

The initial shock of Leo is that it’s a musical. It’s not trying to be a great one either, more subversive on the genre, making it about the lines instead of the notes. The songs land great jokes and sound out of tune on purpose. We meet the students, waking up, excited, all with the promise of a new school year. The teacher is Mrs. Salinas (Allison Strong) and the class pets are a lizard named Leonardo (voiced by Sandler) and a turtle named Squirttle (voiced by Bill Burr). Every year they see new kids behind the glass, perched on the comfort of their rocks. Mrs. Salinas is pregnant, so she’s soon replaced by a more strict substitute Ms. Malkin (Cecily Strong), and she gives the kids the responsibility of bringing the class pet home. When Leo overhears that lizards only live to be 75, he panics that he’s wasted his 74 years of life, so when in the care of the students he talks to them, all in hopes to make his life more exciting than ever before.

Written by Sandler, Robert Smigel, and Paul Sado, Leo has an excellent sense of humor for parenting, growing up as a kid in 2023, and the overall state of the world. It’s the subplots with the kids that charm us, where Leo must help one child break up with his overprotective drone, another kid come to terms with that she talks too much, and help the class bully discover why he’s so angry. Although there are good laughs, underneath the animation, Leo is still a Sandler production, and once again freeloader friend Rob Schneider, his wife Jackie Sandler, and his two children show up for voice roles that serve no purpose. Easing the pain, the nepotism is at least hidden under the shine of sweet animation.

The character of Leo is what rises above and is a fun one for Sandler. Yes, he’s doing one of his goofy Sandler voices, but the witty banter of life lessons between the lizard and Burr’s disgruntled turtle is a match made in reptilian heaven. One wonders if the two comedians could do a live-action buddy-cop movie soon because their outlooks on being fathers and poking fun at American society is a nice balm. The minor problem is that Leo begins to run too long, with a few crass moments involving turtle pee, but it holds on till the expected mushy ending.

Unlike other 2023 animated films- Wish and Trolls Band Together comes to mind- Leo captures the genuine concept of a “family film”. There are laughs to have for all ages, especially parents who will often feel like the story is talking to them most. It’s Adam Sandler being a wise old lizard, helping kids get through their growing pains, and making us laugh in the process. I’m a big fan of Leo and I’m not talking about myself.

LEO IS AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX TUESDAY NOVEMBER 21ST, 2023

3 STARS

Written by: Leo Brady
leo@amovieguy.com