Tag: Constance Wu

LYLE, LYLE, CROCODILE – Review

(l to r) Mrs. Primm (Constance Wu), Josh Primm (Winslow Fegley), Lyle (Lyle the Crocodile) and Hector (Javier Bardem) slurp up an ice cream sundae in Columbia Pictures LYLE, LYLE, CROCODILE. Photo by: Courtesy of Sony Pictures

So, are you looking for a “family-friendly” flick to perhaps introduce your “pre-K’ tots to the wonders of moviegoing? Well, many parents may be leery of much of the fare, since the “kid aimed” movies are often part of an ongoing franchise or based on a line of toys, video/computer games, or TV shows, perhaps resembling a feature-length commercial to provide “product synergy”. So where are the big-screen adaptations of classic children’s books, one that may inspire the wee ones” to (gasp) read? Well, we’ve got one opening “wide” this weekend based on a beloved tale that’s almost sixty years old. Oh, and it’s filled with music often sung by an adorable animal. A reptile, actually, with a rhyming moniker. Straight from the swamp and into your heart comes LYLE, LYLE, CROCODILE. And he’s at the multiplex now, not “after while”.


Now the kiddos will have to have a bit of patience as the opening sequence introduces us to the hustling, but largely unsuccessful magician Hector P. Valenti (Javier Bardem) as he finagles his way into another failed attempt to win a spot on the TV showcase “Show Us What You Got” (you can figure out its real-life talent show inspiration). A dejected Hector ambles into a run-down NYC pet supply store to replenish his live props (pigeons, bunnies, etc.). As the store manager searches his inventory, Hector hears an angelic singing voice. He follows it to the back room and meets Lyle, a young crocodile (his pipes are provided by Shawn Mendes). Hector now has an idea for a new act. The duo heads back to his East 88th Street duplex and begin rehearsing some song-and-dance duets. Hector contacts a theatre owner about renting his venue. But he needs cash “up front”, so Hector offers his home. Opening night, the place is packed and …Lyle is silenced by “stage fright”. Not a peep. Back home, Hector tells Lyle that he’ll have to seek new funding. He insists he’ll return, but in the meantime, Lyle should stay in the attic and act “stuffed”. Cut to many months later as a high-end prep school has taken over the house and has made it availible to the newest faculty member Joseph Prim (Scoot McNairy), his wife Katie (Constance Wu), and timid, nervous pre-teen son Josh (Winslow Fegley). The Prims settle in after meeting their abrasive downstairs neighbor Mr. Grumps (Brett Gelman) and his pampered Persian kitty Loretta. Late that night Josh hears a noise from above and heads to the attic where he meets the now full-grown adult Lyle. Somehow the two become friends and eventually the croc helps the family become closer through their fun antics. But what happens when Hector does return? Can they keep the critter a secret from the sour old Grumps? But more importantly, will Lyle finally get the courage to sing for the whole world?

Well, I suppose I should start with the title character and say that Mr. Mendes is quite the spectacular crooner, belting out the new tunes and the standards with equal aplomb. However, I was stunned that the movie’s true MVP is the energetic Bardem who hurls himself into the Hector role with enormous energy and charm to spare. We knew he could sing after his turn as Desi a few months ago, but who knew that this robust athletic frame was so graceful? He commits to every glide, every sidestep with the confidence of a veteran “hoofer”. Hector’s a rascal and a bit of a reprobate, but Bardem turns him into the ultimate “cool uncle” to the Prims. Speaking of, Wu also gets a musical number with Lyle and shows us that her vocal chops are as polished as her…moves in HUSTLERS. Plus she brings in a bit of drama as Katie frets over being a perfect stepmom to Josh. He’s given an endearing twitchy vulnerability by the effusive Fegley. In a chance of pace from his often dark supporting roles, McNairy does very well as a bumbling but warm papa Prim. Of course, we need a “baddie” and Gelman is pure prissy poison as the unctuous, conniving Grumps (if he didn’t have a full beard he could twirl his mustache with devilish glee).

Overseeing this mix of live-action and mo-cap (Lyle and Loretta) are the directing team of Will Speck and Josh Gordon, who made their mark in several adult comedies. They’re comfortable in “kid-mode”, crafting a tale that the small ones will enjoy and inspiring some to perform along) and the adults will find amusing (again, Bardem), Their take on the “big apple” covers it in a bright candy coating, one that’s a tiny bit scary, but full of pretty nice reg’lar folks, save for the cartoonishly cruel Grumps. The tech wizardry is pretty good on the story’s star, though he often (in his younger version) seems like a smooth molded-plastic cuddle toy (how many more weeks till that holiday), but he seamlessly interacts with the human and his CGI feline sidekick, The new songs by the award-winning team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul aren’t quite on the level of their showstoppers from LA LA LAND or THE GREATEST SHOWMAN, but they’ve hummable and enter the ear easily. It’s all a cozy spirited romp that makes for a pleasant matinee (or later). Though he doesn’t bite, this green guy can belt out the melodies while being light on his feet…um, claws…in LYLE, LYLE, CROCODILE.

3 out of 4

LYLE, LYLE, CROCODILE is now playing in theatres everywhere

In A While LYLE, LYLE, CROCODILE Trailer Stars Shawn Mendes, Javier Bardem and Constance Wu

Lyle takes a trip through New York in Columbia Pictures LYLE, LYLE, CROCODILE. Photo by: Courtesy of Sony Pictures

Watch the new trailer for LYLE, LYLE, CROCODILE starring Shawn Mendes, Javier Bardem and Constance Wu.

Based on the best-selling book series by Bernard Waber, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile is a live-action/CGI musical comedy that brings this beloved character to a new, global audience.

When the Primm family (Constance Wu, Scoot McNairy, Winslow Fegley) moves to New York City, their young son Josh struggles to adapt to his new school and new friends. All of that changes when he discovers Lyle – a singing crocodile (Shawn Mendes) who loves baths, caviar and great music-living in the attic of his new home. The two become fast friends, but when Lyle’s existence is threatened by evil neighbor Mr. Grumps (Brett Gelman), the Primm’s must band together with Lyle’s charismatic owner, Hector P. Valenti (Javier Bardem), to show the world that family can come from the most unexpected places and there’s nothing wrong with a big singing crocodile with an even bigger personality.

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile will feature original songs performed by Shawn Mendes and written by the songwriting team behind The Greatest Showman, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul. Joining Pasek and Paul in writing original songs for the film are Ari Afsar, Emily Gardner Xu Hall, Mark Sonnenblick, and Joriah Kwamé. Directed and produced by Will Speck and Josh Gordon, the screenplay is by Will Davies. The film is produced by Hutch Parker and executive produced by Kevin K. Vafi, Dan Wilson, Robert J. Dohrmann, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Tarak Ben Ammar and Andy Mitchell.

The Sony Pictures film will release in the US on October 7, 2022.

(l to r) Mrs. Primm (Constance Wu), Josh Primm (Winslow Fegley), Lyle (Lyle the Crocodile) and Hector (Javier Bardem) slurp up an ice cream sundae in Columbia Pictures LYLE, LYLE, CROCODILE. Photo by: Courtesy of Sony Pictures

HUSTLERS – Review

So, are movie audiences ready for another flick about good looking women being very, very bad? Well, not as bad say as the ladies of THE KITCHEN. Nobody’s getting whacked or having their legs broken. The dudes in this romp do wake up with some major hangovers (physical and financial). Now don’t get this confused with this past Summer’s similarly-titled THE HUSTLE. This new flick has no wacky slapstick hi-jinks. And it’s based an original story, a magazine article, while the former was a remake…of a remake, showing us that “third time’ was definitely not “the charm”. And instead of the swanky hotels and casinos on the French Rivera, we see the inner working of an NYC “high-end” “gentleman’s club”. The “entertainers’ that work there desperately want to leave the “life”. But they’ve got to be more than “classy exotic dancers’, these ladies have to be HUSTLERS.


In the story’s opening moments, way back in 2007, the focus is on a new dancer at the Manhatten club “Moves”: Dorothy AKA Destiny (Constance Wu). After working long hours, usually inviting men for “lap dances” in the private backrooms, she splits the tips with the “backstage” men, then returns to the home she shares with her Grandam (Wai Ching Ho), wakes up at 3 PM, and begins the (literal) grind once more. “D” simply has to increase her revenue. Then she witnesses a performance by the club’s grand diva, Ramona (Jennifer Lopez). Her athletic “pole” work leaves the stage covered in cash. Later D asks her for advice, and soon they’re meeting early at Moves for training, with some help from another “star”, the dazzling Diamond (Cardi B). In those coming “golden” months, “R and D’ become a dynamic duo working the rich brokers and bankers into a spending frenzy. But the party’s over with the big financial “crash” of Fall, 2008. Destiny acquires a boyfriend, gets pregnant, leaves Moves, has a baby girl, and loses the guy. She fails at getting any “straight” work, so it’s back to the club. But it’s a near ghost town, with gorgeous Russian immigres now performing (and giving more than lap dances in the back). Then Romana walks back in and offers Destiny a new oppurtunity, a scam she calls “fishing”. They hang out at ritzy hotel bars and restaurants looking for a wealthy “mark”, zeroing in on his shoes, watch, and rings. One member of the group joins him until her ‘sisters’ just “drop by”. After getting him drunk, they take him back to Moves (the club gets a “cut”) and they precede to “rack up” a charge card tab for thousands (the guys are too ashamed to do anything about it). The duo becomes a quartet with club vet Mercedes (Kiki Palmer) and the novice Annabelle (Lilli Reinhart). They do well, but the whole night’s taking too long for Romana, so she concocts a drug mixture to spike the drink and loosens up the guys in hurry. Greed kicks in as new girls are recruited and the “Mickey Finn” is strengthened. Just how long can they keep the ‘gravy train” running until something goes wrong and “5-0” steps in?

Despite the recent press junket “kerfuffle”, yes Ms. Wu’s Destiny is indeed the story’s main focus with her on-screen a good 90% of the flick’s running time. As with last year’s surprise smash CRAZY RICH ASIANS, she carries the lead role with great agility. Destiny runs the gamut of emotions, and, of the “crew”, garners the most sympathy. We see her barely able to walk forward in the flashy high heels, pushing herself to just make it to dawn. She has a determined hunger and a yearning. A yearning for a better life for herself and her family, perhaps a bigger need for the mother she never knew. That aching desire is eased by the film’s “bigger than life” star performance, that of Lopez as the club’s “Queen B” Romana. It begins with one of this year’s greatest screen entrances, as she glides on stage as though a goddess descending from Mount Olympus via a golden pole, granting every man’s desire to rid himself of his filthy lucre. Destiny is drawn to her as a moth to a flame, cooled by the finest furs. It’s nearly impossible to shift our gaze from Lopez, as she begins her grooming and seduction of Wu. Romana is one tough taskmaster as she mentors D on the finer points of “stagecraft”, and later as she acts as “big sister’ to the gobsmacked guests in the back. But Lopez is not all “fairy fabulous godmother”, as we see her ruthless inner mastermind come into play, making D furious as she turns her attention to new “talent”. Speaking of talent, Lopez reminds us of her considerable gifts after being a “tabloid” (or maybe “TMZ) staple for too long, nearly being swallowed whole in ridiculous “rom-com” quicksand. I tried to recall the last time she was this compelling on-screen, until another reviewer mentioned OUT OF SIGHT, from more than 20 years ago. She’s a true force of nature here, and the main reason to see this film. Plus she gets great comic support from the other members of the “sista'” quartet. Palmer gives a bubbly funny performance as Mercedes, while Reinhart exudes both innocence and sensuality as the “fast learning” Annabelle, reminding us of the joyous spirit of the late, much-missed Britanny Murphy (just a shame her character spends a third of her screen time barfing…a tired running gag). Added to the mix is Julia Stiles (where have ya’ been) as the “after the facts” reporter who serves as an audience surrogate.

Director Lorene Scafaria (who also adapted Jessica Pressler’s magazine article for the screenplay) really captures the feeling of female friendship and support in those early scenes at the club. For instance, when Liz (played by singer Lizzo) announces to the ladies that a (real life) celebrity has just walked in, they make a quick dash from the dressing room to the stage, as though a fire alarm went off. Those little anecdotes are entertaining, especially as Ramona acts as Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn to Destiny’s Obi-Wan. The light-hearted tone gets a bit darker as they “fish”. But the pace completely stalls out as the ladies do the PRETTY WOMAN-style shopping montages. Then the story’s train derails with a Christmas party sequence that desperately needed another pass or two by the editor (the flick’s a good 15 minutes too long). It lessens the impact of the even darker third act when it’s time to “pay the piper”. That’s when we get to see the vicious side of Ramona, ripping the phone away from Destiny as she listens to the desperate pleas of the patsy that will hasten their reckoning. The marketers are selling this as a breezy “con job” comedy, but that scene is a true heartbreaker. The same goes for the final fade-out, an emotional “gut punch” that really tugs at the ticker. It’s just a shame that the sluggish over-indulgent midsection dilutes its impact (and was all that smoking needed). But it doesn’t take away from the terrific work of Lopez. She’s the main reason you should spend some time at the multiplex with these HUSTLERS.

2 Out of 4

CRAZY RICH ASIANS – Review

There is a long tradition of films that feature the plot of a man or woman introducing a new partner to the family for the first time. It’s a formula we’ve seen in romantic comedies for decades. Is the family going to approve of him or her? Will the couple end up together despite the family’s disapproval? It’s never truly a nail-biter as much as it’s a structure to explore ideas of acceptance and tolerance. Given how much CRAZY RICH ASIANS has been talked about as the first Hollywood film in 25 yrs to feature an entirely Asian cast, it seems fitting that this adaptation of the popular book series is as much about a Chinese-American woman facing adversity from a proud Chinese family as it is about American audiences accepting a culture and actors rarely featured in a major studio film. Contemporary audiences need this introduction into this specific world as much as the lead of the story does. And I have a feeling mainstream audiences will welcome it with open arms.

That seems like a lot of pressure for a film that the main goal is to be an entertaining, romantic romp through Singapore, but director Jon M. Chu is more than up for the challenge as he explores this fascinating culture built on lush food and vibrant cityscapes, family traditions, and cultural behaviors passed down from generation to generation. In the film, no one is more aware of this than Nick Young (played by newcomer Henry Golding). Nick invites his girlfriend Rachel (Constance Wu) to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. Little does the NYU professor know that she’s actually dating a member of one of the wealthiest families in Singapore. The trip and the wedding festivities (“The Wedding of the Year,” as it’s described by locals) result in her becoming enveloped in an entirely new world of the rich and famous, as well as an overbearing family led with an iron fist by Nick’s mother (Michelle Yeoh in a surprisingly cold and effective performance).

The film feels less like a rollercoaster of emotions than what you would expect given the plot synopsis and more like a travelogue set to renditions of classic songs like “Can’t Help But Falling in Love,” “Money (That’s What I Want),” and “Material Girl,” to name a few. The level of opulence is off the chart as the film quickly becomes a feast for the eyes with designer outfits and exotic locales. One could argue the biggest star of CRAZY RICH ASIANS is the setting of the film, Singapore, and they wouldn’t be wrong. So much is put into the art direction and look of the film that it reaches THE GREAT GATSBY height of extravagance and beauty.

Thankfully, Jon M. Chu grounds the film by first introducing us to the warm and genuine leads before throwing us into the visual feast. Henry Golding and Constance Wu make for a charming couple with instant chemistry. His slight British accent adds a touch of dashing manliness to his boyish disposition. He’s a natural leading man, but it’s Constance who is put to the test as she has to serve as the wide-eyed foreigner as well as a strong force to be reckoned with when the time comes. Because of the large family at the center of the story, there is a variety of characters with flimsy to defined backstories that have a hand in Nick’s life. However, most are given little screen time to flex their acting chops.

While the romantic comedy label is unfortunately pushed much more in the direction of romance than comedy, actress Akwafina (who was in OCEAN’S 8 earlier this year) makes her presence known in a handful of scenes as Rachel’s loud-mouth sidekick. She fares much better than the one-note loud groomsman and the over-the-top bachelor party scene that falls flat. At a lengthy two hours, CRAZY RICH ASIANS feels a little stretched out. Yet, it always pulls you back in with spectacular sights like a show-stopping wedding sequence and a dazzling reception under the stars in the end. This predictable but cute romantic comedy may be remembered for the glitz and glamour, but it’s the film’s loving approach to a rich culture built on specific ideals and traditions that is worth applauding.

 

Overall score: 3.5 out of 5

CRAZY RICH ASIANS opens in theaters Aug. 15th