Even though the film is a 100-minute commercial for a business, it’s also an ad for personal responsibility, individual choice, meaningful work, natural constraints, the dignity of the individual and the fight against a government that desires control of the lives of citizens. Its message about heroism being based in creativity, hard work, and resourcefulness — not superpowers — is deeply unifying.

Ultimately, though, the movie’s meaning is in taking abstractions about freedom and control and making them deeply personal. See, it’s not just government officials and corporate executives who micromanage and dictate — out of fear or a desire for control. Parents do it, too. As do spouses, girlfriends and boyfriends, friends, neighbors, teachers and everyone else. The profound message of “The Lego Movie” is that we all have a bit of President Business in us, no matter our particular vocation. What makes “The Lego Movie” so poignant is that it helps each of us internalize the importance of celebrating freedom — sure, within constraints — in each of our stations in life.