Tim is a devoted father who loves being a stay-at-home dad to his two young daughters, 7-year-old Tabitha and Tina, a baby.
He’s also a dad who often questions his parental skills.
“Tabitha … is growing up so fast,” he says. “It’s like she doesn’t even need me anymore.”
Tim needs help, and he gets it from an unlikely source: Tina.
Tina – surprise! – is a talking baby who is on a secret mission from a cutting-edge company, BabyCorp. Tina wants to send Tim and his brother, Ted, on an undercover expedition to Tabitha’s school, Acorn Center, so they can investigate its mysterious leader, Dr. Armstrong, who is scheming to turn students against their parents.
To infiltrate the school, Tim and Ted drink a potion that reverses time and makes them child-size.
Will it work? And will Tim find the answers to his parenting questions?
It’s all part of the new movie Boss Baby: Family Business (PG), which stars Alec Baldwin as Ted, James Marsden as Tim, and Jeff Goldblum as Dr. Armstrong.
Here are four things parents should know about the film:
Photo courtesy: ©Dreamworks
1. It's a Sequel
Boss Baby: Family Business is a sequel to the 2017 film Boss Baby, which opened at No. 1 at the box office and grossed $175 million in the United States.
That film told the story of a suit-wearing talking baby (Alec Baldwin), who teams up with his older kid brother Tim to stop an evil plot that will make the world love puppies more than babies.
In Family Business, Tim and Ted are all grown up – Tim as a stay-at-home dad (his wife is the breadwinner, he tells us), and Ted as a CEO.
Unfortunately, the two rarely see one another, even though Tim often phones. (Ted, apparently, is too busy.)
“Once you grow up, you can never go back,” Tim says.
They are brought together when Tina tricks Ted into coming to the house so she can recruit the duo to investigate the school.
Photo courtesy: ©Dreamworks
2. It's a Celebration of the Joys of Parenting
It’s common for filmmakers to tuck a message into the movie for parents, and Family Business includes that, with a reminder of the blessings of parenting and the brevity of time. In fact, it’s the movie’s primary theme.
Tim is a loving father who enjoys everything about parenting – playtime, bedtime and even study time. While Ted rose the corporate ladder, Tim concentrated on his wife and kids. If his daughters are awake, there’s a good chance he’s involved in what they’re doing. He’s a model dad.
“My life is pretty perfect,” he says.
But like many parents, he questions his actions. Primarily, he wonders why he and Tabitha have trouble communicating.
He asks the question every parent eventually asks: “Where has the time gone?”
Fortunately, Tim finds the solutions to his crisis thanks to a little movie magic. (He infiltrates her classroom, where he learns how big of an impact he’s had on her life.)
For the rest of us, the solution is found in Scripture. The Bible warns us that our lives are like “a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 4:14). The old adage “time flies” is grounded in God’s Word. The biblical lesson is simple: Don’t waste a day. Live life in the moment – and with an eye on eternity.
Photo courtesy: ©Dreamworks
3. It's a Lesson on the Blessings of Siblings
Underneath the movie’s brattiness is an important message for children: Siblings are a blessing.
“Those guys did everything together,” their dad says, referencing their childhood.
“They were best friends,” their mom says.
Tim and Ted know that, but they’ve let the busyness of life get in the way of their friendship. And even when they’re together, they bicker. This comes to a head when the movie’s villain, Dr. Armstrong, tells them: I knew you were brothers because of your jealousy and petty disputes.
Fortunately, the two brothers reconcile. It’s a lesson for moviegoers in the real world.
Photo courtesy: ©Dreamworks
4. It's Packed with Brattiness and Sass
Boss Baby: Family Business has more meaning than its predecessor, but that alone can’t save it from a central fact: Two of its central characters (Ted and, to a lesser extent, Tina) are brats. Simply put: It’s not humorous to watch a child be bratty and sassy. It’s revolting.
The movie, like its predecessor, also pushes the envelope on what’s acceptable in a children’s movie. Ted, Tim and Tina have an argument where the phrases “you suck” and “suck it” are used repeatedly. (Such a phrase is a no-no in most U.S. classrooms.) Later, the trio hatch a plan that involves Dr. Armstrong exposing himself to an audience of parents (parents, the trio says, will take pictures). The plan fails.
The film doesn’t include coarse language but – even here – includes more “butts” and “dorks” than are allowed in many homes. (Details below.)
Fans of the first film likely will enjoy this second one. But for families who rejected the premise of the first movie, this one, too, will be a hard pass.
Boss Baby: Family Business is rated PG for rude humor, mild language and some action. Language details: houses of h-ll (1), oh my gosh (6), literal “OMG” (1), crap (1), suck (7), butt (4), “what the fritada” (1), an unfinished “what the” (1).
Entertainment rating: 3 out of 5 stars.
Family-friendly rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
Photo courtesy: ©Dreamworks
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.