Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead (1991)
Look at this cover. Doesn’t it just give you a chill? Doesn’t that give you Weekend at Bernie’s vibes? Think for a minute how you feel looking at that cover.
Okay, let’s move on. Because this cover has virtually nothing to do with this romantic dramedy.
The film focuses on Sue Ellen (or Swell for short?) who is looking forward to her mom’s trip to… wherever. Swell’s friends are going to Europe. This has nothing to do with the movie pretty much! Just an “oh no, not only did the babysitter die and we have no money but I have no friends to help us” plot point I guess. Which, by the way, the babysitter is in like the first five minutes of the film. They drop her off at the morgue ten minutes in and she is barely mentioned again until the end. That’s my issue. This film has nothing to do with the babysitter and everything to do with Swell becoming a “well-paid” businesswoman and her brother Kenny growing out of getting stoned and into cooking. And Swell embezzling and falling in love, I guess. Also, Danielle Harris from The Last Boy Scout is in this film, and she likes to fry bugs, so that struck me as an important plot point.
Swell’s boss is Rose. Rose assumes Swell is like 30 and believes her fake resume. Rose treats Swell like she’s her favorite niece. She’s probably my favorite character in the movie, overcoming a one-sided romance with an office skeezball who hits on Swell nonstop.
Possibly my biggest issue with this film is the idea that college is the only road to success. No, maybe it’s the fact that Cathy, who did all the work for Swell, is never given a promotion. No no, maybe it’s the scene where Swell is washing a lard bucket. No! It must be the lack of consequence! NO WAY, it’s the fact David Duchovny plays a minor role as an antagonist!!
Or maybe it’s how the awesome runway scene was cut short. The best part of the film.
12/21 stars. Better than I expected, but worse than I hoped.
















