‘The Boss Baby’ means not-so-funny business
Reviewed by Maricar Estrella, of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
In the recent political climate, it’s hard to tell whether DreamWorks’ new animated film “The Boss Baby” is trying to make a statement.
Especially when the lead baby sounds like Alec Baldwin impersonating The Donald. Not only does he resemble our sitting president as an infant wearing a suit and carrying around a briefcase, Baldwin as the Boss Baby tosses around the words “hired” and “fired” and such statements as “We babies are having a crisis”; “You’ve got the right baby for this job”; and “Cookies are for closers.”
Fear not. This baby does mean business, but it’s the huggable, humorous kind.
Meet the Templetons, a typical nuclear family of three: Mom (Lisa Kudrow), Dad (Jimmy Kimmel) and 7-year-old Tim (Miles Christopher Bakshi) who enjoys being the center of parental attention. Tim’s world is rocked when the pint-size antagonist dares to upset the balance of power.
Told from Tim’s imaginative view (with Tobey Maguire narrating as adult Tim), the story navigates the trials and tribulations of sibling rivalry in a comedic fashion. When Tim and the Boss Baby come together to thwart a dastardly plot by the CEO of Puppy Co. (Steve Buscemi), they head toward a predictable path of mutual understanding.
Based on the award-winning picture book by Marla Frazee, the film brings to life the author’s tongue-in-cheek storytelling on how a baby can wreak utter havoc in a family’s life. However, the slapstick humor sometimes falls flat and the trailers show way too much of the funnier parts of the film.
In the end, the only statement being made is that this is an adequate family film. Oh, and love conquers all.
