THE BOSS BABY

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THE BOSS BABY movie poster
The arrival of a bossy baby brother (the voice of Alec Baldwin) upsets the perfect life young Tim (Miles Christopher Bakshi) has with his mom (Lisa Kudrow) and dad (Jimmy Kimmel). This newborn family member talks, wears a suit and carries a briefcase. Is it Tim's imagination or is this really happening? The Boss Baby has an agenda. He was sent by the heavenly Babycorp to stop a plot by Puppyco, where both parents work, to take affection away from babies. Now the brothers must
reluctantly band together to save the day.

 There's nothing new or groundbreaking in animated storytelling here. Cute characters, bursts of slapstick action and potty humor will delight the younger set. Adults have to settle for a couple of laughs, a Beatles tune ("Blackbird") and the vocal talents of Alec Baldwin. Direct off his presidential impersonation on SNL, Mr. Baldwin  takes on the voice of the Boss Baby. Irony? He gets this film's best lines, thanks to director Tom McGrath ("Megamind") and screenwriter Michael McCullers. Clever references include one for Baldwin's "Glengarry Glen Ross", but most of the funny business is strictly for the kiddies. Listening for recognizable voices may help parents get through this family fantasy. Besides the star, Jimmy Kimmel and Lisa Kudrow can be heard as the father and mother. Steve Buscemi provides vocals for Francis Francis, the Puppyco boss who has a grudge against Babycorp. Tobey Maguire narrates as the adult Tim. Miles Christopher Bakshi (young Tim) is the grandson of Ralph Bakshi, the well-known animator/director who gave the world the wildly adult cartoon "Fritz the Cat" (1972). Stealing some thunder from the adorable little toddlers is a talking wizard alarm clock named Wizzie, sounding like Gandalf with the voice of actor James McGrath. At its best, this comedy is a colorful adaptation of Marla Frazee's book. "The Boss Baby" is formula, but not as infantile as the title suggests. (3 CAMS)


Rated PG (some mild rude humor) / Running Time: 97 minutes

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