Leo is a surprising, touching delight. Packed with witty original songs and threaded with a genuinely affecting narrative that speaks to kids and adults alike, the film earned the entirety of my attention.

| Jul 26, 2024

"Leo" has a positive message and some first-rate Sandler voice work. For many viewers, that's probably enough. But honesty compels us to note that there's a much better movie in there somewhere.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jan 31, 2024

Fun, warm, but meandering and too-long, Leo is an animated adventure with kindness and celebrating individuality on its mind – and is a great showcase for Sandler’s voice talents.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 27, 2023

It’s no classic, but it is funny and endearing. Kids will love it.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Nov 27, 2023

The Sandman’s modern lazy artistic side takes over, fully flexed in this Netflix project rife with stiff animation and awkward gags. Even the spare musical numbers with Sandler doing That Voice are underwhelming.

| Original Score: 1.5/4 | Nov 22, 2023

Brightly animated and with moments of surprising insight, there’s a warm likability to Leo that radiates, for those still in the classroom and those who left it long ago.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 21, 2023

The musical sequences aren’t particularly interesting visually and will drag on for adults, yet it’s hard to imagine children sitting through... extended riffs on divorced parents or the courtship behaviors of reptiles and not getting a little bored.

| Nov 21, 2023

What makes Leo special are the kinds of lessons on offer. Its message is well-timed for a generation who find themselves held hostage by their parents’ anxieties and stand to inherit a world of problems.

| Nov 18, 2023

Strikes just the right balance between heart and fart jokes.

| Nov 18, 2023

“Who is this for?” is a question that’s only asked by movies that aren’t working as well as they should, but it begs itself every few minutes in “Leo,” which can’t decide if it’s a movie for kids about parents, or a movie for parents about kids.

| Original Score: C+ | Nov 18, 2023

A sweet and sometimes satirical movie that pillories modern parenting practices and includes just enough character detail to make Leo a credible New Age sage and the perfect foil for his wisecracking terrarium buddy Squirtle the turtle (Bill Burr).

| Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 17, 2023

The film can’t decide if it wants to be truly bizarre, which is when it’s funniest, or simple and sweet, when it’s the most dramatically effective. These aren’t the worst problems for a movie to have...

| Nov 17, 2023