Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead - A Movie Review

Tweet

"Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead" is a coming-of-age black comedy which was released in 1991. Reviews were mostly negative. The budget was $10 million; and the box office receipts were $25.1 million. CAST Christina Applegate (above) - Sue Ellen "Swell" Crandell Joanna Cassidy - Rose Lindsey Keith Coogan - Kenneth "Kenny" Crandell Concetta Tomei - Mrs. Crandell Eda Reiss Merin - Mrs. Sturak Robert Hy Gorman - Walter Crandell Danielle Harris - Melissa Crandell Christopher Pettiet - Zach Crandell 17-year-old Sue Ellen Crandell is looking forward to spending summer without her mother being home. Her divorced mother is going to Australia. Due to a lack of funds Sue Ellen can't join her friends in Europe; and she will be spending her summer with her brothers and sisters: 16-year-old Kenny, 14-year-old Zach, 13-year-old Melissa and 11-year-old Walter. The day before their mother is due to leave a Mrs. Sturak shows up. Mrs. Sturak is going to be the babysitter. The kids are devastated. Their summer is ruined. When Mrs. Crandell leaves, the sweet little old lady turns into a tyrant. She becomes a whistle-blowing taskmaster who makes them do chores, dress up and wear name tags. One day Mrs. Sturak goes into Kenny's room and is aghast at the filth and disarray of his room. She later has a heart attack and dies. When the kids find her in her room they agree to drop her off at a funeral home. If they call an ambulance or the police, they will call their mother; and she will come home. The next day the kids take the envelope full of money that their mother left to go grocery shopping...except the envelope is empty. They tear Mrs. Sturak's room apart but find no money. She must have had it on her; and now she's at the funeral home. Sue Ellen must find a job. If you want to find out what happens next, you will have to watch the movie. In spite of the negative reviews, I found this movie entertaining to watch. It won't be appropriate for some of the kiddos because there is swearing; and the movie is rated PG-13. This is not an award winner; but I will just say that it might be fun to watch once. This movie is rated PG-13. Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons