Hello everyone and welcome to a new review of mine! Today I am going to be talking about one of the many animated films that Netflix has/had slated for this year, Arlo the Alligator Boy. I have said this a number of times, but I think Netflix has proven themselves to be quite the powerhouse when it comes to animation as not only are they the home of many acclaimed series such as Bojack Horseman, the Tales of Arcadia, Voltron, and so much more, but they have also distributed plenty of their own feature films like Klaus, The Willoughbys, and Over the Moon. I have been really impressed by this output thus far as they’ve shown a willingness to have a wide variety of animation in their library and they’ve gotten a lot of great talent for their works. Now with this one in particular this is supposed to serve as the start of series they have planned for later this month and if it’s on the same quality of this feature then I am greatly anticipating it as I found this to be a delightful time and it ended up exceeding my expectations in some ways. So let’s journey to the big city of New York and see what makes this a charming little adventure.
Immediately we are introduced to our protagonist, Arlo Beauregard, a half human half alligator boy who lives in the swamp with his adoptive mom, Edmee, who found him when he was a baby in a basket floating along the stream. Arlo is as happy go lucky as they come and as he grows older, he yearns to interact and meet people outside of the swamp, but he worries that he’s appearance will scare people away and that he won’t be accepted into society. It is not until his fifteenth birthday that Edmee reveals to him a birth tag and tells him that he was born in New York, where his biological father lives. Determined to find his dad, Arlo decides to travel to New York where as he sees things he never dreamed about and along the way he runs into both new friends and dangerous enemies while also finding his place in the world.
On paper the premise of someone trying to find a long lost parent while also learning to accept and embrace their differences is one that has been done many times before. However, as I have said many times before I don’t feel familiar is bad as it is the execution that matters most to me and in my opinion I thought this was a well done take on this type of story. Ryan Crego (who directed and wrote the story) does a nice job setting up the journey and Arlo’s arc making it easy to root for him and keep us invested in the story while also giving the movie this nice sense of joy and optimism that’s infectious and hard not appreciate, but it never comes off in a way that comes overbearing, rather making the pay offs all the more fulfilling. The comedy is also well done as the fish out of water elements were fun and creative and there were a number of charming jokes throughout. What also impressed me was how the story went in ways that I was honestly not expecting to as there were times like with the stuff involving Arlo’s father that I thought the film would go one way but then it ended going in another direction that I actually thought was nicely done. On that same note the emotional moments landed when accordingly and they felt earned and I really like how the “be yourself” message was handled as the movie shows through this found family of misfits that being different and unusual can be a good thing and that there’s nothing to be ashamed of with that. A simple if important message that this movie often conveys beautifully. Now when it comes to any issues I had well aside from a couple jokes that didn’t quite land for me, it definitely feels like a feature length TV pilot, which it kind of is, as there are some loose plot threads that are presumably left for the show to tackle and I felt the middle was a bit uneven as there were some scenes that I could’ve been fleshed out a good bit more. Still as far as TV pilots go this is a good one and I remained thoroughly amused throughout the brisk runtime.
Another of the most notable highlights of the movie is it’s animation, which is done by Titmouse I found to be a lot of fun and thought it matched the joyful nature of the feature perfectly. There are colors everywhere and Crego brings the right amount of energy to the proceedings and he especially does well with the many musical numbers (more on those later) as him and the animation team are able to make each one stand out one way or another. It’s definitely a unique looking film that is brimming with lots of creativity with the character designs showing this off a lot. Most of the characters have this animal hybrid look to them that I really like and again it ties into the embracing our differences theme while also reminding me of classic cartoons with the cartoonish expressions and exaggerated features and I mean that as a compliment. Same also applies to the human characters who also look good. Each character looks unique and memorable and their movements express a lot of energy, appropriate given the nature of the movie. Then there are the backgrounds which are also visually striking as they look like they came straight out of a picture book making them look and feel very stylized with the best example being the City of New York which is shown to be just as dazzling and bustling as it’s made out to be by the characters. All of these elements come together to make for one creatively animated feature that is a colorful treat for the eyes.
Moving on to the characters of the movie, well as I’ve mentioned before, while they may sound like familiar archetypes they still are fun company to be around. Starting with Arlo I find him to be an extremely likable and relatable character whose motivations are well established and while he can be hyper and a bit naïve at times, he never became so overbearing to the point he was annoying. I was invested in his arc from start to finish, I liked seeing how he interacted with this new environment, and Michael J. Woodard did a really nice job voicing him, giving off the perfect amount of enthusiasm. Plus I thought the mother-son relationship he shared with Edmee (Annie Potts, whose voice is almost unrecognizable here) was really sweet as I thought she was a really nice and caring mother figure who wanted what was best for her son. But then there’s the new found family Arlo comes to form in his journey and I really liked their dynamic and found something to enjoy in each one. The one who gets the most attention is Bertie (Mary Lambert) who is the calmest and quietest of the group, someone who is struggling to find their place in the world, but is still willing to be their for her friends. I thought she had a sweet dynamic with Arlo and she had the most depth out of the gang. Admittedly the other characters in the group don’t have as much development as Arlo and Bertie, but I appreciated how each one had a specific character trait to them which made them stand out from one another. Like Furlecia (Jonathan Von Ness) is the diva of the group obsessed with her looks, Tony (Tony Hale) is the unofficial boss who loves pizza, Alia (Haley Tju) is the hyperactive one with a running joke of her driving despite having only a learner’s permit, and Marcellus (Brett Gelman) who loves eavesdropping, hates kids, and is possibly my favorite of the bunch as he gets some of the biggest laughs of the movie. Each actor fits into their roles perfectly and the they make for an unusual yet fun band of misfits that I cannot wait to see more of in the series. As for Arlo’s actual father, Ansel Beauregard (Vincent Rodriguez III who, gives a compelling performance), well (slight spoilers) I really liked how he didn’t turn out to be the oblivious deadbeat I feared he would be, but instead he’s someone who had very personal reasons for abandoning his son and his arc also ties into the movie’s message nicely. Oh and rounding out the cast are the two hillbillies, Stucky (Jennifer Coolidge) and Ruff (Flea), who are after Arlo for a big reward, and they make for entertaining baddies with two fun vocal performers, even if they mainly serve to move the plot forward and will probably get more attention in the show which is a common thread here for most of the characters. Still at least I like them enough in this movie to want to see more from them.
Getting back to something I alluded to earlier, this is indeed a musical and one that had surprisingly great songs that served a purpose and were just nice to listen to. The opening song, “More More More”, serves as the “I want song” for the protagonist and it succeeds at that while also being an upbeat song with infectious energy that makes for a catchy listen. After that is “Beyond these Walls” a much different yet effective song that further conveys Arlo’s feelings and is actually pretty inspirational. These songs two share similar purposes yet go about them in different ways and both are really strong in their own right. Then there’s “Follow Me Home” which some may consider the stand out as it is a beautifully written piece and is played during one of the more uplifting moments of the film. Meanwhile there are some more upbeat (in different ways) songs like “Right There with You” is fun and fast moving, and “Better Life” has the feel of Broadway number and it really catchy. “Wash the Hurt Away” is a stand out as it is sad yet works given the scene it is set to and I love the visuals of that scene as it felt like chalk drawings come to life while “Something’s Missing” is the least showy as it’s essentially two characters expressing their thoughts but it does what it’s doing well. Lastly, “Beautiful Together” is a pleasant closing number that expresses the film’s message and brings it to a pretty end. Not only are each of the songs great and nice to listen to on their own but each of the actual numbers are extremely well done with a lot of imagery that can range from creative to fun to beautiful.
Well Netflix scores once again with their animation department as I found Arlo the Alligator Boy to be quite the pleasant surprise. It may feel like a feature length TV pilot as it can be a uneven in the middle, some of the humor is a little scattershot, certain things could’ve been fleshed out more, and certain characters get more depth than others, but it’s still a delightful journey that executes it’s familiar premise well with a couple of refreshing plot turns, it was charming throughout, the message is nicely conveyed, the animation is colorful with a neat art style, Arlo is a strong protagonist, the characters are a lot of fun to be around, and the songs are great and catchy. I was really impressed by this and it works a breezy good time with a lot of heart. If your in the mood for something like that then this might just be for you. As for me well I am really looking forward to I Love Arlo later this month and if this movie is any indication then I am certain that it will be just as enjoyable!
Rating: B+
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