Director: Tom McGrath
Starring: Miles Bakshi, Alec Baldwin
Year: 2017
When Boss Baby was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, I admit, I scoffed. I’ll be more honest; I thought the Academy was a bunch of fucking idiots. From everything I had heard and from the trailer I had watched, I easily assumed that this ludicrous movie was just another Dreamworks dud, another giant prat fall that played down to kids and insulted adults. But perhaps you’ve already spotted the error in my thinking, and perhaps you’ve heard the old phrase; to assume makes an ASS out of U and ME. I will gladly admit that I was made to look like an ass, and that it’s entirely my fault. I assumed I knew what Boss Baby was before I watched it, and that’s a lesson I hope to take with me long after this awards season is over. Because not only was I wrong about the content, the jokes, and the heart, but I was wrong about its nomination; it is truly deserved.
Tim’s life is practically perfect in every way, if you don’t mind the Mary Poppins reference, which is fitting, since she’s brought up in this film in other ways as well, which is neither here nor there, just worth a mention. Anyway, Tim is happy, and why shouldn’t he be? He’s got two special parents, they give him all their love, they work with puppies, they let him use his imagination to have outstanding adventures every day; it doesn’t get much better than this for a little boy. But one day that all changes, when mom & dad bring home baby brother. All of a sudden, Tim’s life has turned upside down. The baby gets all the attention, the house is a mess, his parents are exhausted, it’s like Tim’s not even there anymore, and, oddly enough, he is shocked to discover that the new little bundle of joy can talk, order sushi, and may be planning something terrible. Tim’s got to get it out of the house as soon as he can, to save his own existence from complete destruction.
Hear me out; this isn’t the movie you think it is. I saw the trailer, I assume your reaction was like mine, it looked awful and tedious and thoughtless and basically done in a style that most people wouldn’t even want their kids consuming for fear that they’d lose brain cells. But it’s not like that, you’ve got to trust me on this one, there’s more to it than meets the eye. The first clue is that Tim has an overactive imagination, and he might get carried away a little sometimes. This story might not be exactly transparent, you might actually need to dig down a bit deeper. When you do, you’ll find a ton of heart and some really clear messages, along with some clever comedy and a song choice that’s spot on. Yes, some of the humor is still silly, still poop-related, make only for kids. But that’s par for the course; this isn’t Kubo after all. It’s a fun family movie, but it isn’t anywhere near as mind-numbing as you might imagine. Someone in the marketing department needs to be fired, I’m just glad I gave it a chance.
My rating: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆