Once upon a time there was a baby, and that baby turned into a toddler, then a kid. That kid was used to having all of mom and dad’s attention until one day, a baby sibling arrives dethroning the older sibling. This is DreamWorks’ The Boss Baby in a nutshell. Have you been the older sibling or were you the baby? You and your kids can certainly relate to this adorable and oh so charming movie about sibling rivalry and sibling love.
DreamWorks Animation and the director of MADAGASCAR invite you to meet a most unusual baby. He wears a suit, speaks with the voice and wit of Alec Baldwin, and stars in the animated comedy, DreamWorks’ THE BOSS BABY. THE BOSS BABY is a hilariously universal story 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. With a sly, heart-filled message about the importance of family, DreamWorks’ THE BOSS BABY is an authentic and broadly appealing original comedy for all ages.
I had the privilege of sitting down with the Director Tom McGrath and Producer Ramsey Naito, to hear more about the inspiration and making of the movie. It was great to hear the passion and love that was put into this movie. Director Tom McGrath said this was a love letter/apology letter to his big brother, as he was the Boss Baby of the family. How sweet is that? From the start, both Tom and Ramsey said they wanted to bring a sense of heart and charm to the movie. McGrath said “The mantra on our wall was charming, charming charming. It should look charming, it should feel charming, we even open the movie with ‘Cheek to Cheek’. More importantly, we felt this was a great opportunity to have a comedy, but also say there is plenty of love to go around for everyone. Sometimes giving is more important than receiving. If kids can come out of the theater being brother and sister, having their arms around each other, then we have been a success.” That’s exactly what my kids did. They immediately called out the Boss Baby qualities in each other, and were laughing and smiling. I certainly noticed the charm factor in the film! With voices such as Toby Mcguire as the narrator, Jimmy Kimmel and Lisa Kudrow as the parents, and Alec Baldwin as the Boss Baby, how could you not get charming? When I asked about finding the voice of the Boss Baby, Tom McGrath said ” We couldn’t picture anyone else!” He was their first choice and clearly the perfect choice. Tom McGrath said he also wanted to incorporate an “old school cartoon” feel. This is brilliantly done with big chases and outrageous scenes throughout the film. I really loved the car chase scene between the brothers… it is hilarious!
Producer Ramsey Naito said “I love the end of the film because it pulls at your heart strings, but I really love the beginning because it sets up Tim and his wild imagination. I love all of the creative, fantastic looks that this young boy is going through. It’s like a real experience.” My kids and I also loved the big imagination of Tim, it definitely makes the movie more relatable and appealing to the kids watching. I like that the story is being told through the big brother’s point of view. You really see the film through the eye of a child as you go along this journey with him of being confused, jealous, competitive, and eventually falling in love with his baby brother. Producer Ramsey also said she wanted both parents and kids to enjoy the movie. So there are many hilarious jokes that the kids will laugh at, and some that are just for the parents. Naito mentioned all three of her kids were the Boss Baby at one point in time, which I can totally relate with! All three of mine have had their Boss Baby streak!
Download some fun activity sheets here- THE-BOSS-BABY-Printable
From start to end you will really enjoy this film, and so will your kids. It is funny, smart, creative, and oh so charming.
The Boss Baby arrives in theaters on March 31st!
A special thanks to Tom McGrath & Ramsey Natio for taking the time to meet with me, and to DreamWorks for the adorable swag for all three of my Boss Babies 🙂
