The Boss Baby
Director: Tom McGrath
Stars: Alec Baldwin, Steve Buscemi, Jimmy Kimmel
Duration: 97 minutes
Class: U
KRS Releasing Ltd
If the protagonist of The Boss Baby, with his coiffed blonde hair, business suit, and general grouchy and bossy demeanour reminds you of the current President of the US, you are not alone. Add to that the fact that Boss Baby himself is voiced by Alec Baldwin, who of late is splitting sides with his Saturday Night Live impersonations of the President, and it’s not a far-fetched comparison to make.
Yet, Tom McGrath, The Boss Baby’s director, is at pains to point out that work on the film started around six years ago and the character is based on the children’s book written by Marla Frazee in 2010, and any similarity is purely coincidental. This hasn’t stopped people from drawing comparisons to Donald Trump. After all, The Boss Baby does shout ‘You’re fired!’ at one point, (reminiscent of Trump’s hosting of reality show The Apprentice) and is rather dismissive in his treatment of other people…
Its simplistic tone and presentation may prove to be a tad tedious for older viewers
Anyway, back to the plot, such as it is! Seven-year-old Tim (voiced by Miles Bakshi) has everything he wants, including loving parents who, despite both having high-profile jobs, are always there for him, ending each day with a hug, a story and a song. His perfect life is thrown into disarray with the arrival of his baby brother.
But, in Tim’s wildly imaginative mind, said baby arrives by taxi, is dressed in business suit, carries a briefcase, and he concludes that he is actually a spy on a mission. Tim and Baby dislike the sight of each other but find they need to work together to thwart an evil plan to replace babies with puppies.
The premise is rather silly and may have some of the younger set wondering why one has to choose between babies and puppies. Its simplistic tone and presentation may prove to be a tad tedious for older viewers. The film has a pretty obvious message of the importance of family. It will also strike a chord in those who felt abandoned with the arrival of a younger sibling and had to fight for the attention of parents. However, it lacks the depth and sophistication many have come to expect from animation.
That said, both adults and children alike will appreciate the stunning visuals, with the film’s vibrant animation. Firstly there are the human characters, most notably Baby himself, with his cutesy baby face, shock of blonde hair and big expressive eyes. Then they will also appreciate the inventiveness behind some of the scenes, especially the film’s opening, depicting a rather futuristic, elaborately designed conveyor belt which prepares and delivers babies of all shapes, sizes and colours to their awaiting parents.
The animators have also expertly and colourfully captured Tim’s frequent flights of fancy as his imagination takes over.
Baldwin, who seems to have rediscovered himself as a brilliant comedian of late, adds much wit to Baby. He is supported by a solid ensemble, including Tobey Maguire as the narrator/adult Tim; Jimmy Kimmel and Lisa Kudrow as Tim’s parents, and Steve Buscemi as the film’s villain.