DVD Review: Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead

 

Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead is a 1991 comedy starring Christina Applegate, Keith Coogan, Joanna Cassidy, Josh Charles, Danielle Harris, Concetta Tomei, Robert Gorman, Eda Reiss, and David Duchovny. Applegate, who was at the height of her fame on the series Married With Children and was hot as fire, plays Sue Ellen Crandle, the oldest of four siblings. When their mother, played by Concetta Tomei, takes a trip for the summer, she hires an old battle-ax of a babysitter (Reiss) to take care of her kids while she is gone. The babysitter dies, and the kids, having no money, have to figure out a way to eat, pay the bills, etc, over the summer. Applegate, whose character was a 17-year-old high school student, applies for a job as a receptionist using a resume she copied out of a guide on writing resumes, and ends up with an Executive Assistant position at an apparel company. And from there, of course, hilarity ensues. 

The movie definitely had the feel of a late 80s, early 90s movie. Some of the comedy is pretty dated now, and there are some things, like showing Applegate's underage character smoking, that would never fly today. The movie did have a strong supporting cast, including a young Josh Charles, Danielle Harris (who played the little girl in Halloween 4 and 5), David Duchovny, Joanna Cassidy, and several other recognizable character actors. 

For those who get the DVD, the extras are fairly bare-bones (some previews, the trailer, and cast biographies), but it does have closed captions. Overall, it is a dark comedy that has some good moments, but it is not as good as other "coming of age" comedies that came before it, like Fast Times, Porky's, or the like, nor as good as some of the comedies that would follow it in a handful of years, like American Pie. It definitely feels dated watching it now, but even with those caveats, it is still a decent comedy and worth checking out.