Lyle is an absolutely adorable character. And Javier Bardem and Constance Wu deliver excellent performances. All in all, it was a moderately enjoyable affair.
What kept Lyle from reaching its potential were the story, the pacing and the songs. The story lacks an antagonist, a threat, some kind of objective that looms large. And that absence is felt, with multiple moments begging the question "wonderful characters, but what is this all about ultimately?".
The pacing was a little off, with really exciting moments followed by long, trudging luls. While everyone was so very incredibly charming, the movie did feel boring at times.
Finally, the missed opportunity is the songs. They're simply not iconic. I still remember songs from Frozen, Moana, Encanto and others, but I'm confident that I won't remember any of the tunes from Lyle.
This may not read like a particularly flattering review and that's not my intention. I though Lyle was nice, but not particularly so. I might just be spoiled by what seems like so many other exceptionally good animation films these past few years.
