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Being a kid isn’t just about play dates and recess and multiplication tables. Especially as kids get older, they face their own uncertainties and insecurities. And the Netflix animated comedy Leo explores a number of these growing-up issues as seen by a couple of cold-blooded spectators.
Leo views the lives of a group of fifth-graders from Florida through the eyes of two elderly classroom pets. Cranky lizard Leo (voiced by Adam Sandler) has watched kids come and go for 74 years, joined by his turtle friend, Squirtle (Bill Burr). When Leo discovers that he’s got just one more year to live, he plans to break out of the terrarium and see the outside world. Instead, he ends up connecting with the students and helping them work through their problems as they spend the year with ornery substitute teacher Ms. Malkin (Cecily Strong).
For decades, these two curmudgeonly creatures have played the role of little more than cynical observers—much like Statler and Waldorf from The Muppet Show. They joke about the kids, their teacher, and each other, often adding in some of the lowbrow humor that’s common in Adam Sandler movies.
While it has its share of jokes about body parts and bodily functions, though, Leo is also surprisingly insightful—and sometimes even emotional, too—taking a look at this classroom full of kids in their last year of elementary school. They’re a bundle of tween emotions and anxieties, and their excitement over being the “big kids” of the school is mixed with their uncertainty about what’s to come and their own individual issues. And the film handles it all with sensitivity, humor, and (surprisingly) the occasional musical number.
Through these kids and their scaly therapist, young viewers will get some tips on how to handle some of their own issues—like how to be a better friend, open up to new friendships, love yourself for who you are…and even cry it out sometimes, too. The film isn’t without its flaws—including its unnecessary songs—but it’s still a sweet and often laugh-out-loud funny adventure about navigating the ups and downs of growing up (and growing old).
While it may seem like just a silly cartoon about a couple of talking animals, Leo is also unexpectedly charming. It’s an entertaining pick for Family Movie Night—and in the midst of the wise cracks and reptile adventures, kids may find some surprising insights, too.
Your family can meet these wise-cracking classroom pets when Leo debuts on Netflix on November 22, 2023.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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