The Cop Baby

He's a cop, but he's also a baby.

A premiere at Cinepocalypse 2018 means The Cop Baby was first seen by Western audiences during the World Cup, an event consciously presenting a tough guy image of Russian men. It's a film that makes sport of such stereotypes. It's set in Vladivostock, an Eastern border city with a very distinctive character where multiple cultures meet. Football commentators have noted how well looked after this garden city is. Who do you think keeps it that way?

Our ostensible hero is a young environmental protection officer; he's pretty much the opposite of the Russian ideal of manhood, but he has a pregnant wife who adores him and he's dedicated to his job. Nobody steps on a plant in his town. So when he sees a tough-looking older man casually reverse his car over a herbacious border, he feels compelled to take action. The problem? This man is undercover police officer Major Chromov, and he's in the middle of a complicated sting operation intended to take down one of the city's worst villains. Thanks to the interruption, things go badly awry, and before you know it - it's better not to worry about the details - Chromov is trapped in the body of our hero's newborn son.

We pick the story up a few months later, when Chromov has figured out how to coordinate the muscles of his tiny body well enough to talk. Taking his 'dad' into his confidence, he explains that it's vital that he complete his mission. In fact, it turns out that this is his only hope of switching back into his own body. But taking on drug gangs turns out to be a bit more challenging than guarding shrubberies, so his new partner has a lot to learn as the pint sized policeman starts his investigation.

Pretty much all the jokes you'd expect are here, complete with toilet humour and an energetic car chase in which baby takes the wheel. It's intended for family viewing so the script carefully routes around any direct violence occurring towards its smaller protagonist, and although people get killed there's little blood. A message about the importance of love and loyalty is supported by pointers to being a good dad, and the lighthearted tone persists throughout most of the running time. Kids will find plenty to enjoy.

Older viewers may feel that the film falls a little way short of its potential - it's not quite tight enough to fully exploit its central premise and there are times when the humour could do with a bit more punch. Although Chromov's gruff dialogue is entertaining, the infant actor only intermittently captures the right expressions - probably a legacy of what was a frantic ten-day shoot - so the composite performance doesn't always deliver. The film succeeds very well at being sweet but the contrasts on which it depends don't quite work.

That said, if the central premise appeals to you, the chances are that you will enjoy this film. It's not really as outré as it sounds, but it strikes a good balance between action and comedy. As for its various little narrative flaws, if you're really bothered by that sort of thing, why are you watching a film about a cop trapped in the body of a baby to begin with?