Rotten
It's bad enough that writer-director David Ross indulges in the very perverse kind of Lolita-tinged titillation the film pretends to lament, but then he ties everything up with an oh-well shrug.
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
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The Babysitters
Overview
Seventeen-year-old Shirley is a good student who works as a babysitter in order to make money for college. One night Michael, a father Shirley works for, confesses he's unhappy with married life. Shirley has a crush on Michael, and seizes this moment to kiss him. Michael is so happy he presents Shirley with a big tip, which gives her an idea. Shirley plans to make extra money by setting up her teenage friends with other unhappy fathers.
Director and cast
- David Ross Director
- John Leguizamo as Michael Beltran
- Katherine Waterston as Shirley Lyner
- Cynthia Nixon as Gail Beltran
- Andy Comeau as Jerry Tuchman
- Denis O'Hare as Stan Lyner
- Lauren Birkell as Melissa Rowan
- Louisa Krause as Brenda Woodberg
- Halley Wegryn Gross as Nadine Woodberg
- Ann Dowd as Tammy Lyner
- Spencer Treat Clark as Scott Miral
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
33%
Tomatometer
Rotten
Until it crosses a shadowy line dividing serious comedy from distasteful exploitation, The Babysitters has the makings of an incisive satire of greed and lust in suburbia.
Stephen Holden, New York Times
Rotten
The script has a stale air, like something that was doing the rounds for a long time before David Ross found backers to make a film out of it.
Susan Walker, Toronto Star
Rotten
Although the film is pitched as dark comedy, there's nothing very funny about the sexualization of teenagers.
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger
Rotten
I'd call it a depressing soft-core porn flick, but that overstates its titillation factor. Mainly it's just icky.
Kyle Smith, New York Post
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