Too much of everything

Don't listen to the negative reviews

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

I was laughing so hard in this short animation.. It didn't make sense to me.. totally weird and artsy.. not needed.

This is a proud moment for Asians. Bao is directed by Domee Shi, the first woman to direct a Pixar short centred around a Chinese Mom & son! This is a heartwarming story that sweetly reflects both hilarious and fundamental traditions ingrained in every Chinese person near and far. On the surface it's a tear jerking prodigal son story which beautifully uses the beloved Chinese dumpling as a plot twisting metaphor. However, it also goes deeper into the problems immigrant families face when children grow up in North America and become westernized, they no longer share the same beliefs or value the traditions of their parents causing family clashes, and the son to run away. Who is wrong and who is right? Are such clashes inevitible? That's why this little short is so brilliant, because in a few minutes The audience gets to gain pretty deep insights into Chinese food, habits, beliefs, dilemmas, and strict traditions dating back thousands of years such as filial piety. In a Bao skin, I'd say this is a fantastic short film that will make you fall in love with Chinese dumplings whether you've had them before or not. And Chinese moms.Kudos to going with the Chinese name, Bao.

The people who say that they didn't get Bao are, in my opinion, either unable to grasp metaphors or have no understanding of generational conflict in immigrant communities. Anyone who comes from an immigrant culture will recognize the tension between the loving but overprotective mother and the son to whom growing up means embracing all of the possibilities of the country he was born in. And I mean embracing literally; the fiancee, with her blond hair, white blouse and tartan skirt, is the image of the classic shiksa.It's a clever retelling of an old story, with a sweet reconciliation after the crisis. I agree with the commenters who say that very young children find it frightening, but then very young children should not be taken to Incredibles II simply because it is a cartoon. The target audience is kids old enough to identify with Dash or older. A seven or eight year old ought to be able to grasp both the mom who won't let you grow up and the idea that it was all a bad dream.

First, this was a beautiful film about family, maternal love and growing up. Then suddenly she ate her son! You heard me - ate her son!!