HBO Max Is About To Lose the Most Overlooked Family Movie of 2022

HBO Max is preparing for a month of new awesome additions. Coming to the streamer this February are can’t-miss movies like Life of Pi, The Notebook, and the original Wuthering Heights. But before any of those titles can join HBO Max’s content catalog, the streamer has to give a few titles the boot, and a great family movie from 2022 is unfortunately on the chopping block.

The 2020s have been a great period for family films, with everything from Encanto to Puss in Boots: The Last Wish hitting the big screen. 2022 added another amazing, albeit severely overlooked, addition with Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile. The live-action animated musical fantasy based on Bernard Waber’s beloved children’s story of the same name tells the story of a shy, singing crocodile named Lyle who lives in a New York City attic and befriends the new family that moves in, helping them embrace life, overcome their fears, and rediscover their joy through music. Families have been able to watch the film on HBO Max since August, but its multi-month run on the streamer is set to expire on February 3rd.

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile Is a Near-Perfect Family Movie

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If you’re looking for your next family movie night film, then you really can’t go wrong with Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile. With an almost perfect and “Verified Hot” audience rating of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie is a feel-good family musical that audiences of all ages can enjoy. The movie is infectiously cheerful thanks to Lyle and his innately good-hearted nature and his desire to connect with people, the character serving as an unlikely catalyst for a positive, lighthearted, and fun viewing experience. Lyle’s ability to express joy through singing also delivers some high-energy, catchy songs from the team behind The Greatest Showman that you’ll find yourself singing even after the end credits roll.

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All of that being said, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile doesn’t quite reach Paddington-level good. The film holds a 72% Tomatometer score from critics who expressed some issues over it being a bit too formulaic and playing it a bit too safe with a lack of a strong, compelling antagonist or overarching tension, which can make the movie a little dull for adults in comparison to some other more notable recent family movies. Overall, though, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile is a pretty solid family-friendly viewing option that won’t leave you disappointed and is Paddington-adjacent in spirit, if not quite in quality.

Where to Stream Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile After It Leaves HBO Max?

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile may be leaving HBO Max, but it won’t be hard to find on streaming. The film is not exclusive to HBO Max’s library and is currently also available to stream on Hulu and Disney+. The movie isn’t tagged with a removal notice in either of those libraries, so fans will still be able to watch it on those two platforms. Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile is also available to rent and purchase online.

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