Review: The Babysitters

While you read this review, repeat in your subconscious: Sean is not a pedophile. Sean is not a pedophile.



The Babysitters is a first time feature from writer/director David Ross. During the Q&A, Ross explained that he wanted to write about prostitution, specifically women that never thought they would become them, and clients that never thought they'd use their services. He was at an L.A. restaurant popular for it's malts and shakes. Each one has a name, often giving away nothing about its contents. He told the waitress, "I'll have The Babysitter." After a few minutes of jokes from his "35-year old child of a friend", he decided he had his premise.

Shirley is a particularly meticulous junior in high school, with a rather girlish crush on a babysitting client, Michael (John Leguizamo). Unhappy with his marriage to his wild-woman-turned-prissy wife, Michael makes an ill-advised pass at Shirley (Katherine Waterston). Finally dropping her off at home, not knowing what to say, he hands her some extra (hush?) money. Things escalate, and, after a few more "shifts", Michael asks Shirley if she has any friends that might babysit for a good friend of his. Apparently, Michael has loose lips.

Things slowly spiral out of control at that point. It's all somewhat light and funny for a while, considering the subject matter, but it doesn't stay that way forever. It really couldn't without being a farce, and you all know how much I really enjoy a good farce.

This movie works well enough, if you can get past some of the unbelievable behaviour from teens and adults alike (or am I naive?). Leguizamo is as good as he generally is, and Waterston is cast well. Some of her sidekicks are a little less talented (I'm talking about the acting -- get your minds out of the gutter, boys). Eventually, I felt that Ross was just trying to figure out how to end the thing. I think, though, had he ended it any other way, I would have genuinely complained about it. My imdb rating: 7/10.