Review of Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (1991) by Johnny T — 06 Jun 2013

Once the babysitter dies and her body is deposited anonymously on the steps of a funeral home, the movie is free to reveal its real purpose: This is a consumerist, escapist fantasy for teenage girls. Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead starts with an enjoyable, if crude, black comedy situation promised by the title, but then it turns into an incredibly dumb teenage girl's fantasy of making it in the business world. Though she has promise, Applegate is misused in a part making her seem more airheaded than shrewd. Cassidy, whose mature sexiness livens the film for a while, is gradually made to look more and more ridiculous by the pic's clumsy director, Stephen Herek. Miss Applegate is charming when the screenplay allows her to slow down. Applegate offers more appeal than I recall in the lead role, putting her placid teen allure to proper use. Somewhere along her career path, Applegate was designated a distinguished comedic force of nature. A picture with obvious flaws, but one that attempts to subvert the norm with a few curveball jokes here and there. It's not awful. It's not good either.

VERDICT: "Not So Hot" - [Negative Reaction] These films are truly terrible films. They are not the worst things ever made, but they are definitely awful and should not be seen by anyone. (Films that are rated 1.5 or 2 stars).