Parents' Guide to

Adventures in Babysitting

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

'80s film remake delivers clean laughs geared toward kids.

Adventures in Babysitting Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

age 7+

Based on 5 parent reviews

age 8+
age 5+

The first one was definitely better

I didn't like this one....the characters had NO common sense at all...I just turned it off at the part where the babysitters were arguing outside of the police station...it was terrible for me to even keep watching...Sorry NOT Sorry

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5):
Kids say (25):

This movie's appeal is inversely proportional to your affection for the original and your maturity, which bodes well for its success with the younger crowd but not so much for their parents. Casting familiar faces Carpenter and Carson in the lead roles gives the movie an edge with Disney fans who will want to tune in to see their combined effort in this comedy. The story is appropriately packed with chaos, humor, and unexpected twists and turns kids will love, even while it takes many pages out of the original Adventures in Babysitting story. Most notable among the likenesses are an impromptu stage performance (modern rap instead of blues, though), a few near misses with the parental units, and a young girl's starstruck encounter with her idols (a roller derby team steps in for Thor this time around). And, because it's Disney, it's a squeaky-clean offering designed with kids in mind.

On the other hand, if you come to this reimagining with strong ties to Elizabeth Shue's classic performance in the role, you'll be sorely disappointed. It turns out two aren't better than one when it comes to effective babysitting, and the teens' constant power struggle quickly wears on the nerves, especially with Lola's utter negligence that's spun as humor. It's a necessary evil, as that's what sets up the night's adventures, but it's not likely to strike parents in the same hilarious way it will kids.

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate