Featuring the Voices of: Alec Baldwin, Miles Bakshi, Jimmy Kimmel, Lisa Kudrow, Steve Buscemi, Tobey Maguire
Directed By: Tom McGrath
Plot: Tim (Bakshi) has enjoyed being an only child his whole life. That all changes when a new baby (Baldwin) shows up. But is he really a baby? Turns out, he’s a spy sent from Baby Corp to investigate Puppy Corp, who are planning a new product release that could sabotage Baby Corp. Really, it’s a film about family and being brothers.
What Works: Sure, it’s not the finest Dreamworks animated film, but it kinda has it’s own cute charm to it. I can’t say the film makes any sense whatsoever, but it somehow still charmed me? I liked all the little nods to the adults. The Lord Of The Rings jokes, the Shining reference, Glengarry Glen Ross, Mary Poppins, and a joke about Long Island Iced Tea. The animation is good, with the film actually utilizing different styles. Sometimes when Tim is imagining things, the film changes animation style. The voice work is good. Really, what worked for me is that even though the film is bonkers, I still bought the developing bond between Tim and the Boss Baby. By the end of the film, I bought them as brothers.
What Doesn’t Work: I mean, this film is absolutely bonkers. I couldn’t even try to make sense of things that happen. I get that a lot of it may not be real, as suggested by the ending, but even in the context of fantasy, this film is still batshit crazy. I’m surprised this script produced a watchable film. It’s written like it was conceived by someone high on heroin and shrooms. Some films ask you to take a leap of faith with their plots, but you really have to jump across the grand canyon for this one. If you can somehow manage to wade through the absurdity of this film, it’s not that bad. I know a lot of critics got lost in the marsh, and I don’t blame them. I don’t blame anyone for hating this film. I just happened to be one of the few people who made it to the other side unscathed. I’d say, if you DO make it to the other side, you’ll find that you kind of enjoyed this film.
Final Word: Probably one of the weirdest, worst conceived scripts in history. However, through sheer force of will, Tom McGrath made it all come together somehow. I’m amazed. You might hate this film, and that’s OK. But, I’m gonna say… give it a chance? It might just prove itself to be just the right amount of cute for your day. Please don’t make a sequel though. I really can’t imagine what a Boss Baby 2 would even begin to look like.
Final Grade: B
