The Longest Daycare (2012)

Maggie Simpson spends the day in the Ayn Rand School for Tots.

Director:

David Silverman

Writers:

James L. Brooks, Matt Groening,

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.

Storyline

Maggie Simpson spends the day in the Ayn Rand School for Tots.

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Plot Keywords:

mallet | toddler | cocoon | no dialogue | day care | 

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Genres:

Animation | Short | Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for mild rude humor

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 July 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

Maggie Simpson in 'The Longest Daycare'

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gracie Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

5 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This short film was screened before Ice Age: Continental Drift during its theatrical run in the United States. The short was almost universally praised over the feature.

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Crazy Credits

No butterflies were harmed during the making of this motion picture, although two kids were pretty banged up.

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Connections

References The Longest Day (1962)

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Soundtracks

"Vesti La Giubba"
(from I Pagliacci)
Written by Ruggero Leoncavallo

User Reviews

Good, but despite the Oscar nomination, Simpsons has done better in its past

I heard of this short film because it was screened about 6 times in one day in the UK when it was released and the weekend paper informed me that it was one of the animated shorts up for the Oscar this year, so I figured I should give it a look. The plot sees Maggie enrolled in daycare only to find another baby in the "meh" class is smashing butterflies. Maggie saves a caterpillar from a similar fate and tries to keep it safe until it can become a butterfly. The plot is simple but it is played out wordlessly and with a sense of operatic melodrama that is clever despite not totally working.

It is clever, but not as clever as it should have been; it is funny, but never as funny as it should have been and it is sweet, but never as heartfelt as expected. The biggest problem it has is the stable that it comes from, because the legacy of The Simpsons is a massive shadow to escape, either generally or specifically. I say specifically because this short film is in the shadow of not only the golden era of the show but it isn't even the best "Maggie in the nursery" that the show has produced, since the Great Escape sequence in the Streetcar episode was stronger and funnier than this.

It is still good though and it is worth a look even if it isn't up to Simpsons at its best but then, in fairness, what is?