The Baby Boss
From the studio that brought you Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and Madagascar, comes DreamWorks Animation’s The Boss Baby, a hilarious family comedy about how a new baby’s arrival impacts a family, told from the point of view of a delightfully unreliable narrator — a wildly imaginative 7-year old named Tim. The most unusual Boss Baby arrives to Tim’s home in a taxi, wearing a suit, carrying a brief case and speaking with the voice and wit of Alec Baldwin. The sibling rivalry between the two brothers is reluctantly cast aside when Tim discovers that Boss Baby is actually a spy on a secret undercover mission, and only he can help. An outrageous adventure ensues as the pint-sized partners prepare to thwart a dastardly plot involving an epic battle between puppies and babies.
Inspired by the best-selling picture book by Marla Frazee, this riotous comedy for all ages features the voices of Alec Baldwin as Boss Baby, Steve Buscemi as the villainous Francis E. Francis, Jimmy Kimmel and Lisa Kudrow as Tim and Boss Baby’s unsuspecting parents, Miles Bakshi as Tim, and Tobey Maguire as the film’s narrator.
For director Tom McGrath, who is best known for helming DreamWorks’ three Madagascar blockbusters and the 2010 supervillain fantasy Megamind, THE BOSS BABY is a very personal story. He remembers how the book struck a chord with him when he first came across it. “Marla’s book really grabbed my attention. It was this really charming board book, about 30 pages long, and I didn’t even know how popular it was. But it reminded me of my childhood, and my own family dynamic, which instantly kicked my imagination into wild overdrive thinking about how cool it would be to expand it into a feature length film.”
The youngest of two brothers, McGrath was the Boss Baby in his own family, and he was well aware of the upheaval his arrival caused. He envisioned the story as a love letter to his older brother. “The writer Michael McCullers and I were immediately struck by the central metaphor of the book—which is what happens when a baby arrives and takes over your house,” says Tom. “My brother and I were very close growing up, but also fought like all brothers do. But as you grow, you also become each other’s best friends. For me the movie is a loving homage to him. It draws on many things we experienced growing up together. It’s purposefully set in small town suburbia, but it’s also a combination of the ’60s, ’70s and the ’80s. I think parents will feel nostalgic when they see the movie, because they will notice details that will remind them of their own childhoods.”
In addition to the broad comedy appeal, the heartfelt nature of the story and the remarkable charm of the main characters were also immediately appealing to producer Ramsey Naito. “The story mirrored my life. My oldest son was seven years older when my youngest arrived, and he was really jealous, just like our main character, Tim. I related to the brothers’ story instantly,” says Naito, whose many credits include The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, and South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.
“I love that we celebrate the power of children’s fantasy and imagination in this film.”
Naito also mentions that the movie is quite special as it offers something for the whole family to enjoy, and it manages to reveal something new and unexpected at every story beat. “First we see the Boss Baby’s arrival, and we discover that it’s a very unusual baby, who wears a suit and sounds like Alec Baldwin,” she explains. “Then we feel for Tim because he feels that his parents won’t be able to love him as much as they did before. But soon he realizes that there is something really different about his new baby brother. Finally, we get wrapped up in the whole secret mission involving the elite spy caper, and Tim discovers that the two brothers must join forces to save the world.”
Naito adds, “While the movie is very funny and entertaining, this journey also connects on many different emotional levels. While Boss Baby initially brings chaos to Tim and his family, he ultimately teaches them some valuable lessons about what is really important.”
Classification U