Review of Adventures in Babysitting (1987) by William D — 20 Jul 2012

This likable little comedy is like a "Hangover" for the '80s generation. It's basically a similar premise - the unlikely happens and a bunch of characters get up to all sorts until they eventually end up in real trouble and they have to get themselves out of it - except in this, they ditch the dirt for cleaner gags from a script like it's been penned from the late John Hughes, creator of Home Alone and the direction of Mr. Harry Potter himself - no, not Daniel Radcliffe but Chris Columbus (who directed the first two, anyway). Chris Parker (Eliisabeth Shue), a hapless teenager with an unluckier best mate Brenda (Penelope Ann Miller) and a shifty boyfriend, is forced to look after four kids: Brad, a teenager with acne and his younger sister Sara (Maia Brewton), a moppet with that gratingly squeaky American accent that will make you either react with "Awwwww!" or just wish to strangle her. When Brenda gets herself stranded, it's Chris to the rescue, with the kiddy-winks and Brad's friend Daryl (Anthony Rapp) with a love of all things smut coming along for the ride. What follows is a series of escapades, each one being as humorous, cringe-worthy and/or unbelievably dangerous as the other.

The main leads, make their characters affable from the first moment they're on screen till the last, especially the teenagers, whom of which adolescents going through puberty at the time will have probably had their first crushes on them. That doesn't mean the rest of the cast do well with their parts like John Ford Noonan's friendly trucker whom the babysitter and kids "hook up" with, Calvin Levels' juvenile delinquent with a heart, Vincent D'Onforio playing a garage owner with an eerie resemble to one certain Marvel comic hero and the actors who portray some car-thieving bad guys. The test of time hasn't exactly been kind to this film (Brenda's glasses say it all) and there are some moments that are on the "Yeah, right!" factor, but then this is Columbus before he helped with all the Hughes-esque slapstick and those booby traps and some of the best movies came from this decade, whether they have dated or still endure to this day.

If you're a little tired of seeing the same modern-day blockbuster over and over again, and wanting something a little retro, plonk this into your DVD player and it will make your day, even on the wettest Friday night. A funny and exciting gem with a cracking soundtrack from the "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" years.