Photo courtesy of Gage Skidmore, Wikipedia
DreamWorks’ new animated film “Boss Baby” follows the story of a seven-year-old boy named Tim (Miles Christopher Bakshi) as he suddenly gains a new baby brother (Alec Baldwin) who he grows increasingly suspicious of as the baby steals their parent’s attention away from him. Upon investigation, Tim finds that his new baby brother can talk and is actually on a mission to find out why babies are becoming less popular than puppies so that he can put a stop to it. The two must work together to figure out what is happening so that they can both stop ruining each other’s lives.
Now, most who hear of a plot like this would probably think that it sounds like the dumbest movie idea that anyone could honestly think of. However, those who actually go see “Boss Baby” will find that the plot is thoroughly entertaining and contains some solid voice acting and fun animation.
Outside of Baldwin, the film contains a cast filled with iconic voices that bring depth to their characters including Jimmy Kimmel, Lisa Kudrow and Steve Buscemi. Not to mention, Tobey Maguire’s voice as an older Tim giving narration throughout the film is heart-warming and genuine. All of the actors’ voices are perfect for their character’s personalities and looks. However, some may find Baldwin’s voice eminating from the mouth of an animated baby to be slightly off-putting.
Tim’s personality and imaginative spirit are also brought out through the film’s animation style. The animators clearly wanted the character’s young imagination to run wild with scenes shown in Tim's imagination. These scenes are shown to be fun, creative and entertaining; audiences will feel a sense of slight nostalgia to when they were kids. The scenes are also just fun to watch for kids who perhaps have a similar sense of imagination to Tim.
The film also does a great job by having comedy that would appeal to young kids as well as parents taking their kids. Many will find themselves laughing at jokes that fit their age. However, there are moments in “Boss Baby” where the film’s attempts at comedic moments fall flat.
“Boss Baby” also contains valuable life lessons that many kids will find important, like family life after having a new baby, sibling rivalries, the importance of family and more.
While some who have only seen trailers of “Boss Baby” may instinctively disregard the film, they might actually change their opinions upon seeing the movie. After all, seeing is believing. So while “Boss Baby” is nothing spectacular or out of the norm for animated films, it is truly an enjoyable and imaginative movie that audiences should see if they get the chance.
tmoore3@ramapo.edu
