Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Teen steps up to care for siblings; language, drugs.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead
What's the Story?
In DON'T TELL MOM THE BABYSITTER'S DEAD, a divorced mom (Concetta Tomei) plans a two-month trip to Australia with a new boyfriend, leaving behind her five kids ranging in age from 17 to around 8. Mrs. Sturak (Eda Reiss Merin), a seemingly sweet older woman, arrives the day of Mom's departure to babysit in the interim, but she suddenly dies of seemingly natural causes. The kids dump her body at the morgue—and with the body, all the cash Mom left for expenses. Pressed for cash, eldest child Sue Ellen (Christina Applegate) uses a false resume to snag an executive assistant job at a clothing company to make ends meet and quickly makes herself indispensable in the eyes of her boss, Rose (Joanna Cassidy). Rose's boyfriend, Gus (John Getz), a vice president at the company, repeatedly hits on Sue Ellen. The pressure mounts, with hungry kids at home (who still seem to be spending lavishly), not to mention the potential embezzlement charges that lie in wait. Can Sue Ellen's ingenuity and design talent save the day?
Is It Any Good?
This is a routine, low-level comedy—a teen-centric version of Home Alone crossed with The Secret of My Success. But in Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead, Applegate's Sue Ellen gets to show that teens are far more creative and responsible than they're usually given credit for. She not only competently fills a grown-up job, but also saves her boss's failing company. Teens who feel underappreciated may applaud Sue Ellen's heroic triumph, even as she faces punishment from her angry mom. Kids may also take cues from Sue Ellen's diligence and accomplishment, but her embezzlement also sets a less admirable example.
Jokes and situations are predictable and recycled. You almost expect a laugh track to verify the movie's inspiration: TV sitcoms. Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead wasn't a huge hit when it came out (voted "one of the year's worst movies" by a popular critic of the time), but it has become something of a "cult classic" and inspired a 2024 remake.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the absence of a responsible guardian in Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead. What do you think of Sue Ellen's decision to take care of her younger siblings?
Sue Ellen displays ingenuity, guts, and responsibility when she impersonates an adult with an impressive made-up resume. Does it matter that she lied, or do her successes make up for the deceit?
Do you think grown-ups underestimate the ability of teens in general? Does this movie serve to demonstrate that teens can be more responsible if they need to be? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- In theaters : June 7, 1991
- On DVD or streaming : December 15, 2009
- Cast : Christina Applegate , Joanna Cassidy , Josh Charles , John Getz , Keith Coogan , Concetta Tomei , David Duchovny
- Director : Stephen Herek
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : HBO Studios
- Genre : Comedy
- Run time : 102 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : May 25, 2024
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