Few titles are as direct in telling audience what to expect as in the case of Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead, 1991 comedy directed by Stephen Herek. The plot, set in Los Angeles, begins when divorced mother Mrs. Crandell (played by Concetta Tomei) decides to go to long-deserved two month vacation in Australia and leaves the care of her five children in the hands of elderly babysitter Mrs. Sturak (played by Eda Reis Merrin). The old lady turn out to be repressive tyrant, but her reign of terror ends quickly with fatal heart attack. Children see an opportunity to enjoy two months without adult supervision and, after dumping body near mortuary, decide to not to inform authorities nor their mother. However, they soon discover that they lack money for bare necessities, so the oldest child, 17-year old high student Sue Ellen “Swell” Crandell (played by Christina Applegate), is forced to bring food on the table and gets job at fast food restaurant. Unhappy with that job, she applies for receptionist at fashion company, but gets mistaken for someone much older and better qualified and enthusiastic executive Rose Lindsey (played by Joanna Cassidy) gives her job of her executive assistant. Swell, although initially overwhelmed, finds the way to do her increasingly demanding job with certain level of competence. However, keeping her unruly siblings in line is more difficult and further complication comes when she begins dating Bryan (played by Josh Charles), her former colleague from fast food restaurant.
Script by Neil Landau and Tara Ison had been originally written in 1987, but the critics, most of them being quite hostile, interpreted it as an amalgam of later films - Big, Working Girl and Home Alone. Whether original or not, script for Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead after consuming major plot point of its title goes towards two separate directions, dealing both with issues of adulthood and office intrigues in corporate America. And in both areas plenty of cliches are used, resulting in convoluted plot and excessive running time for this kind of film, the latter becoming apparent in overlong finale. Thankfully, quality of humour is mostly satisfactory and there are some hints of subversion in the film – teen protagonist that smokes and her younger brother Kenny, played by Keith Coogan, is even more problematic due to consuming marijuana. Scriptwriters and director Stephen Herek, however, give that character task of keeping family together while Swell is working, which ultimately results in Kenny turning his life around and becoming responsible. As a result, Josh Charles gives very good performance that even manages to overshadow Christina Applegate, young actress that was hired thanks to her role of Kelly Bundy in popular sitcom Married... with Children. The film had decent, albeit not spectacular success at the box office and those who watch it today might agree with audience’s initial verdict. Don’t Tell Mom Babysitter’s Dead is flawed but entertaining film that can be recommended to those who don’t expect much from Hollywood.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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