Babies Are Funny - No Matter Where They Are

The more I watch, the more I have to watch. I say that often. Given that video stores are dead, Netflix is forced to be a month behind, and time is in short supply, I readily admit I’m getting further behind. Keeping an accurate queue now seems like more pressure, so I’ve stopped. What I needed was to watch something light by not stupid or insulting, so I came across one of the plethora of films I’ve missed lately – “Babies”.

This documentary made me laugh so hard I cried – and I don’t even have kids.

The film follows four babies from their first breath to their first steps. They are located all over the world, in Nambia, Mongolia, Tokyo and San Francisco. The film is the brainchild of two Frenchmen – can it get any more international? The lack of dialogue (and subtitles) underscores the main point of the film, which is that there are certain universal truths.

Sibling rivalry always exists. Kids like to eat dirt. Discovering your feet (and the power of your lungs) is cool. Music is fun to move to. Toys can be confusing. It’s not easy to figure out how to be walk. Pets are good playmates, especially if you get to pet them really hard. Dogs have interesting mouths. And so on.

But even though there are universal truths, the cultural differences are also greatly apparent. And this is my biggest flaw with the film, although I readily stipulate it’s my American Pride getting in the way of my objectivity. Out of all the couples in the US, do you really have to use some self-indulgent, late-in-life parents with every conceivable yuppie thing imaginable for their child? Right down to a shot of Daddy playing with his daughter in bed while Mommy sits next to him reading “Be the Parent You Want to Be”? Seriously? We’re better than that – aren’t we?

It seemed to me that the cutest child (with the best parents) was in Tokyo. Both Mom and Dad were invested in their child; she went everywhere they did. Education was stressed, even at the age of one. (I’m saving my “American Educational System” rant for the release of “Waiting for Superman”.) The child was stimulated, well-taken-care-of, and disciplined when needed. She’s also adorable.

After the film, there was a bonus section with the filmmakers showing the film to the families, then updating the stories of the kids by showing footage of the now four year olds. I know that this film isn’t really an original idea – the Brits did it years ago with the “7 Up” series, chronicling the lives of several children through adulthood and beyond. It would also be interesting if they did something like this throughout America, showing different cultures and customs within our own country, but then again that’s my American Pride showing through.

But “Babies” is still the funniest film all year. I’d highly recommend that you not miss it, like I almost did.