Common Sense Media Review
'80s comedy has lots of profanity, peril, innuendos.
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Adventures in Babysitting
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 13 parent reviews
Based on 24 kid reviews
Kids say that this 1986 film is a hilarious adventure filled with memorable moments, but it contains a significant amount of mature content, such as strong language, sexual innuendos, and some violent scenes, making it largely inappropriate for younger viewers. Many reviewers suggest that it is best suited for older kids, typically 10 and up, depending on individual maturity and parental discretion.
- mature content
- swearing
- sexual innuendos
- violence
- age recommendation
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING gets rolling when suburban high school senior Chris Parker (Elisabeth Shue) takes a last-minute babysitting gig. Shortly after the parents leave, Chris gets a frantic call from her best friend, who is stuck at the bus station with no money. Chris loads her young charges into her station wagon and heads for the big city. They quickly get into one scrape after another, starting with a tire blowout that leaves them stranded on a busy freeway. By the time the car is fixed, they have been held hostage in a chop shop, performed onstage at a blues bar, been pursued by criminals, and narrowly escaped street gangs on the subway. Although they seem to be magnets for mishaps, Chris and the kids manage to keep outwitting the bad guys -- with a little help along the way.
Is It Any Good?
As perky as its heroine, ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING is a madcap dash through the mean streets of Chicago. This frothy, utterly '80s comedy manages to remain lighthearted and breezy despite several potentially dangerous situations that the main characters face.
Shue is especially fun to watch, and the film features a number of other actors who went on to bigger and better things, including Penelope Ann Miller, Vincent D'Onofrio, Lolita Davidovitch, The West Wing's Bradley Whitford, and red-haired Anthony Rapp of the Broadway and screen versions of Rent. Parents may not remember how racy the language and sexual content is, though, so think twice before sharing with your tweens.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether Chris made the right decision by taking the children into the city. What could she have done differently when her friend called her from the bus station? What would have been the sensible, "grown-up" thing to do?
How do you think this movie has aged? Is it still relevant?
What would have been the real-life consequences of this adventure?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 1, 1987
- On DVD or streaming : January 18, 2000
- Cast : Anthony Rapp , Elisabeth Shue , Penelope Ann Ann Miller
- Director : Chris Columbus
- Inclusion Information : Queer Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Walt Disney Pictures
- Genre : Comedy
- Run time : 102 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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