BABY'S DAY OUT

US, 1994, 98 minutes, Colour.
Lara Flynn Boyle, Joe Mantegna, Joe Pantoliano, Cynthia Nixon, Eddie Bracken.
Directed by Patrick Read Johnson.

Baby's Day Out was written by John Hughes. Hughes had created a great impact with his films about teenagers during the 80s, especially The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles. He moved towards adult themes with such films as She's Having a Baby and Planes, Trains and Automobiles. During the 90s his main success, for which he will be remembered, is Home Alone starring Macauley Culkin. After that, his films did not have quite the same impact, films such as Curly Sue. With Baby's Day Out he has handed the direction to Patrick Read Johnson. However, the screenplay, broad humour and the focus on babies is that of Hughes himself.

Joe Mantegna, Joe Pantoliano and Brian Haley are three very incompetent crooks who kidnap the baby of a wealthy couple. However, each of them with their own limitations, has a very difficult time controlling the baby who gets away from them many a time and causes all kinds of farcical humour involving traffic, tall buildings_

The film may be a bit too screeching in some ways for many audiences. However, as a comic variation on a theme, it has its amusing moments.

1.A comic portrait of family, baby - and a comic book for children for a baby's day out? Slapstick comedy?

2.The Chicago backgrounds, wealthy families, the streets and the buildings, the world of the kidnappers? The musical score?

3.The children's book, the broad fairytale sweeps? The contribution of John Hughes as a writer and his films, sentiment, comedy?

4.The picture of the family, the planning of the photo of the parents with Baby, the wealth, the nanny? The mother, her concern for the photo in the paper, the reaction of her husband? His going to work, her being tricked by the photographers, changing her dress? Her reaction, her fears, the telephone? Going to the other mother and seeing her children and sharing her grief? The repercussions of the kidnapping on her? On her husband?

5.The nanny, her reading the book to Baby, her grief at the kidnapping, her appreciation of what Baby was doing, the solution to find Baby in the old people's home?

6.Comic crooks? The variety of types, the slapstick comedy and the echoes of the Three Stooges? Their taking the van, masquerading as the photographers, the taking of the baby, the baby at home, the crook and his going to sleep while Baby went onto the roof? Chasing Baby around Chicago? The various pratfalls and slapstick comedy - on the roof, the taxi, the lady with the stroller, the handbag, the zoo and the monkey, the nursery and the shop, Baby on the roads, the crossroad, the building site and its dangers, the old people's home? The characteristics of comic book criminals?

7.The people in the old people's home, Eddie Bracken and his nice style, Baby feeling at home?

8.The police, their inquiries, comforting the couple?

9.The build-up to the siege in the building - and the solution?

10.The happy ever after ending - but the prospect of Baby getting lost in China!