Review: ‘Lulu Is a Rhinoceros’ And Interview With Star Dule Hill

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Review by James Lindorf

Allison Flom and her father, Jason Flom, are best known for their contributions to society through Just Detention International and The Innocence Project. But in 2018, they teamed up with illustrator Sophie Corrigan to bring a little more happiness to the world with the children’s book “Lulu is a Rhinoceros.” Now Apple TV and director Angela Stempel are set to bring the book to life in a new 47-minute pop musical event about kindness, acceptance, and embracing one’s true self. The special is set to premiere globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, May 30th.

Lulu (Auli’i Cravalho, “Moana”) is a rhinoceros; that’s what she sees in the mirror and what she knows to be true in her heart. Her favorite things include singing songs, playing volleyball, and doing at least one act of kindness daily, like her idol, Regina, the rhinoceros. While Lulu knows who she is and loves herself, not everyone she meets is willing to accept her as a rhino based on how she looks or her inability to make a delicious jelly sandwich. To prove them wrong, Lulu embarks on the adventure of a lifetime, and along the way, she gets help from friends old and new, including Cory (Alex Newell “Glee”), Hip-Hop (Utkarsh Ambudkar “Ghosts”), Finn (Paul Rust “Love”), and Flom Flom (Dulé Hill “Psych”).

As a book, “Lulu is a Rhinoceros” is a quick 40 pages dominated by Corrigan’s artwork, but as a special, it is a bit of an odd length at 47 minutes. With the popularity of TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Meta’s Reels, most children’s entertainment seems to fall into two categories: less than 10 minutes and feature length. Making the runtime stand out even more as an issue is the pacing. The film’s central conflict builds and builds, only to be paid off in seconds. A long conclusion about how hurt people hurt people may be a bit much for younger kids, but solving it with a eureka moment falls a little flat. I wouldn’t be shocked to see younger kids struggle with the runtime. However, those willing to sit still long enough will find the film visually engaging, with a palette of vibrant colors and an array of animals voiced by a talented cast.

Accompanying the visuals is a collection of original songs by Golden Globe nominee Leland, with lyrics by Allison Flom and an original score by Jina Hyojin An & Shirley Song (“BE@RBRICK”). During the musical sequences, the visuals can take on a hyper-realistic tone for this world with radiant colors that enter the surrealist compared to ours. This art style is most noticeable during the song from Cory the Cow, which also happens to be the weakest song and would be the first on the chopping block if the runtime needed to be reduced. It is well performed, and while it has a positive message, it is least committed, with Cory telling LuLu to forget the bad stuff and start her day again. Being able to block out the haters is a great skill, but sharing that message could come off as dismissive to someone who is currently upset. Going from the weakest to the strongest is a tough choice because “Good Morning, Beautiful You” and “The Perfect Me” are fantastic songs for kids and adults.

The themes run deep in “Lulu is a Rhinoceros” from self-appreciation, friendship, kindness, and trauma. There is plenty for audiences to react to and grow with, as kids are likely to watch repeatedly to hear the songs and watch a pig play volleyball. The loving and uplifting message will surely draw the ire of those who will choose to focus on the transgender parable elements of Lulu’s story. Still, there is so much here to enjoy that it deserves to be seen. “Lulu is a Rhinoceros” earns a solid 4 out of 5 for its acting, heartwarming story, and toe-tapping songs.
Genre: Animation, Kids & Family, Musical
Original Language: English
Director: Angela Stempel
Distributor: Apple TV+
Release Date (Streaming): May 30th, 2025
Runtime: 47m

Interview: