Voices of Michael J. Woodard, Mary Lambert, Haley Tju, and Johnathan Van Ness
Directed by Ryan Crego
Music by Alex Geringas; Lyrics by Ryan Crego
Let's return to the here and now for this charming animated musical. Netflix had its first animated TV show out in 2013, but it didn't start making animated features until 2019. This would be their fourth, and the second animated musical. How does the rousing story of the title character going to New York to find his father look a few years later? Let's begin with how baby Arlo (Woodard) came to live in the swamp with Edmee (Annie Potts) and find out...
The Story: Arlo feels out of place in the swamp with the animals who don't walk and talk. On his fifteenth birthday, Edmee reveals how he was abandoned in a New York sewer. Arlo is determined to go there and find his birth father and a place he'll fit in. He finds the latter when he first encounters Bertie (Lambert), a sweet, enormous teen girl, while trying to dodge a pair of alligator hunters who want him to be their star attraction. He and Bertie eventually fall in with a unique group at a wrestling club that includes a little Italian rodent-like man (Tony Hale), a huge pink fluffball (Van Ness), and a teenage tigress (Tju). They agree to take Arlo to New York, since they're looking for their fish friend (Brett Gelman).
Arlo's father is Ansel (Vincent Rodriguez III), a wealthy real estate tycoon who wants to tear down the seaside neighborhood and build skyscrapers. Arlo is devastated when Ansel refuses to admit their relationship, and feels even worse when he tries to change him, then rejects him. He learns who his true friends are when they help him crash the Met Gala to prove once and all, to his father and New York, that families come in all shapes and sizes, and sometimes, the best families are the ones we create for ourselves.
The Animation: The sketchy 2D animation, with its pie-eyed characters reminiscent of shorts from the early 30's, gives it a very distinct and sweet flavor. It's awash in earthy tones like brown, green, and tan, making Arlo and his literally colorful friends pop all the more. They're Technicolor critters in a down-to-earth setting.
The Song and Dance: This was such a sweet movie. The said characters are some of the most unique I've ever seen in a children's film, including Lambert's oversized dear of a teenaged girl, Van Ness as they androgynous pink furball, and Haley Tju as Alia the tough teen tigress. That animation gives a lift to the well-meaning plot. There's also the diverse cast, and not just the unusual character designs. Bertie and Alia the tigress are strong females (literally, in Bertie's case) and there's the non-gendered fluffball and fish who hates children.
Favorite Number: We open with frogs doing Busby Berkeley routines in the swamp around Arlo as he sings about how he wants "More, More, More" out of life. Potts sings "Happy Birthday to Ya" as she reveals Arlo's history. " Bertie and Arlo ride the roof of a train as Bertie admits she wants him to "Follow Me Home." We get "New York, My Home" and "Right There With You" from Arlo's new friends. His father sings of a "Better Life" where he'll be able to escape everything that reminds him of his past, including Arlo and the seashore. The montage of a dejected Arlo wandering through New York to "Collage of Broken Dreams" after his rejection flows into his hope to "Wash the Hurt Away." Arlo and Ansel realize "Something's Missing" after Ansel rescues him at the Gala, while Bertie reminds him that they're "Beautiful Together."
Trivia: This was the pilot movie for what became a one-season animated series on Netflix.
What I Don't Like: Did I mention that cliched plot? It's nothing you haven't seen in dozens of films, both live action and animation. The subplot with the alligator hunters and their "beast" gets silly and annoying after a while, even if it does give Ansel a way to reconnect with his son in the end. The 2D animation looks so good, the rare bit of CGI used for the vehicles and the opening "More, More, More" stands out as glaringly obvious.
The Big Finale: Sweet and unique, Arlo's journey and his hilarious friends is worth checking out for the animation and characters alone.
Home Media: Netflix exclusive at the moment.
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