A Deeper Dive Into Boss Baby - The Themes, Motifs, And What We Will Learn From The Film Within the Film
A Deeper Dive Into Boss Baby – The Themes, Motifs, And What We Will Learn From The Film Within the Film
Editors Note: Ever since I saw “The Boss Baby” nearly a year ago, my mind has been captivated by the film. I’ve spent the better part of the last 365 or so days researching, studying, and really throwing myself into the film in ways I never have approached cinema or the arts before. At first I was just trying to find how how he could be both a boss….and a baby. But what I discovered was so much more. Here are my findings:
At first glance, Boss Baby is a happy-go-lucky film about a baby who also happens to be a boss at a huge empire, Baby Corp. Now, you might be wondering, how is he both a boss…and a baby? And folks, let me tell you, the answer isn’t so easy. Because while a simpleton might walk out of Boss Baby delighted by the whimsical humor, witty dialogue, and fabulous animation, there is a much deeper meaning to it. It’s a story about leadership. About betrayal. About the socio-economic divide in the United States, mass deforestation and the overhaul of environmental laws, the ever-ending battle for a clean and reliable water supply in a time of increased contaminates and pollutants, and a plethora of other social, religious, and geo-political issues.
You see, people like to poke fun at the Boss Baby. “The plot holes are outrageous” they claim. “The motifs are tired and the colloquialism don’t hit” others exclaim. These are people who need Boss Baby the most. People who need to look at the film within the film, and see the deeper meaning, like in another well-done film this year, “Get Out”. I’m not going to explain the deeper meanings in that film (animals, exercise, McDonald’s expansion, bowling alley etiquette, etc) but you get it.
So yes, I will address the elephant in the room: Is it ok that Boss Baby was snubbed out of a nomination (and win) for Best Picture? It is. It is ok. Because much like the problems, complications, and situations the film addresses, history will have the final say. Just remember, Goodfellas lost to Dances With Wolves. Saving Private Ryan lost to freaking Shakespeare in Love. And in 2010, I mean look at this travesty:
Inception! 127 Hours! True Grit! Social Network! MF’ing Toy Story 3!
So it’s ok that Boss Baby wasn’t nominated for Best Picture. And it’ll be ok if Coco wins best animated picture. Because Boss Baby isn’t a film most people understand right now. It’s before it’s time. It’s a film that we will watch 10, 15, 20 years from now with our mouth agape, wondering how we missed so many signals, so many signs, so many messages. And we’ll laugh, because we knew it all along.
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Editor’s Note: This blog was originally published as an excerpt in the long-form piece “The Kmarko Oscars 2018″. It was published as it’s own, stand-alone blog for prosperity’s sake.