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Review: In ‘The Boss Baby,’ it’s clear who wears the diapers

By The Associated Press

Some of the best animated films have been inspired by fairy tales, ancient Greek fables or mythology. Now comes one clearly inspired by, of all people, David Mamet.

The creators of “The Boss Baby ” have obviously been mining the playwright’s gritty, foul-mouthed “Glengarry Glen Ross” to build the title character, a ruthless, capitalist-minded newborn with pupils the size of saucers who insists that “Cookies are for closers.”

To make the connection even firmer, they’ve hired Alec Baldwin to voice the baby, reprising in cartoon version his motivational speaker from hell from the 1992 film version of “Glengarry Glen Ross.” The baby is also drawn in Baldwin’s black suit and tie with a gold watch and slicked-back hair.

The casting and homage to Mamet’s snarling, soulless character is funny indeed but seems somewhat outsized in this sweet film, overpowering its understated humor and terrific animation. Altogether, it sometimes seems like “The Boss Baby” was a really good 20-minute short film that became stretched out like a piece of gum until the taste grew stale.

An army of animators — no, really, the endless end credits are staggering to sit through — have been employed to make a 12-course banquet out of a whimsical board book by Marla Frazee, which introduced the suit-wearing toddler. Onscreen, alternate realities mix with several exciting chase sequences, Elvis impersonators, montages and moments of tenderness.

Screenwriter Michael McCullers, an alumnus of “Saturday Night Live” who went on to write some of the “Austin Powers” movies, has built an insane plot to accommodate Frazee’s briefcase-wielding, spicy tuna roll-loving parody of 1980s avarice.

Both the book and film share the same premise — that a baby’s arrival changes a family. The movie version is told from the point of view of a 7-year-old only child with a swoop of hair (Miles Bakshi) whose idyllic world is shattered by the arrival of son No. 2 (Baldwin). It gets worse: The new baby can both talk and scheme. He’s actually undercover on behalf of a corporate behemoth to push his agenda. (New parents will totally get that.)

Directed by Tom McGrath, the director of the “Madagascar” franchise, “The Boss Baby” is best when it riffs off other action films, such as “The Matrix,” ”Mary Poppins,” ”Honeymoon in Vegas” and “Raiders Of The Lost Ark,” to name a few. The animation and sound effects are so superbly rendered — the fantasy sequences have an entirely different and nifty flavor — that a drop of drool or a puff of baby powder seems to have real texture and feeling.

The laughs aren’t machine-gun fast; they’re rather gentle, surprisingly not completely scatological, and only a few are meant for adults only. (One takes place on a plane, in which the pilot welcomes customers with the line: “Ladies and gentlemen — and those in coach.”)

But make no mistake: A lot of money has gone into this story about the joy of brotherhood. The soundtrack includes tunes by Paul McCartney, Irving Berlin, Elvis, Carole King and Burt Bacharach. The voice cast also includes Steve Buscemi, Jimmy Kimmel and Lisa Kudrow.

Baldwin — no surprise — turns out to be simply great at playing a big, scary baby. His unmistakable presence here also adds a strange twist to a movie that its creators couldn’t have anticipated. Baldwin, after all, has become notorious on “Saturday Night Live” for playing another suit-wearing character who’s also egomaniacal, compassionless and a self-described business genius. This spring, Baldwin plays them both.

“The Boss Baby,” a DreamWorks Animation release, is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America “for some mild, rude humor.” Running time: 97 minutes. Three stars out of four.

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MPAA definition of PG: Parental guidance suggested.

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Follow Mark Kennedy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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