Director Chris Columbus, in my opinion, is one of the most underrated filmmakers in recent memory. Most of his movies are warm in tone, heartfelt in message, and wholesome in overall feel. His style is genuinely unique, and he has carved out his own space in Hollywood that feels completely his own. From the first two Home Alone films to the first two Harry Potter films, he’s had some huge successes. Yet, his directorial debut, Adventures in Babysitting, may be one of his best movies, and I hardly ever see or hear it being talked about anywhere online or in-person. So, I wanted to weigh in on what I think is one of the most pure fun, family-ish films of all time.
Adventures in Babysitting is a title that perfectly describes the film. The movie follows high school senior Chris Parker (played by Elizabeth Shue), as she babysits neighborhood kids Brad and Sarah, as well as Brad’s best friend Darryl. When Chris’s best friend Brenda runs away from home and gets stranded at a bus station downtown, Chris and the kids have to go save her. On their way, though, they run into everything from shootouts to car thieves to college parties to matriculating romance, and a wild, whacky adventure ensues.
Of course, as it is supposed to be, Adventures in Babysitting is extremely funny. The situations alone that the main characters find themselves in lend well enough to humor, but the subtle quips and jokes thrown out by everyone from main to minor cast members really leave a great impression. Are some of the scenarios a little over the top? Sure, but that’s the point of the movie. It’s all about how a simple evening of babysitting somehow becomes a life or death experience.
The main strength of the film, though, is the characters. Elizabeth Shue as Chris Parker is a charming lead, Brad is a great, relatable, nerdy-young-guy-with-a-crush everyman, and Sarah is a fun, yet not annoying, younger sister. But the two standouts are Darryl, Brad’s best friend, and thief-with-a-heart-of-gold Joe Gipp. Those two really make the movie. The former is an endless stream of humor, and the latter is one of the most subtly likeable “bad guys” in film.
While the movie does have villains, in the form of the two men leading the grand theft auto operation into which our heroes accidentally stumble, it hardly matters that most people, including myself, don’t even know their names. The real antagonists are the situations our main characters find themselves in that prevent them from achieving their simple goal. So, though the “villains” of the story could be considered weak by some, I believe those people are missing the point.
One last scene I want to highlight involves Sarah, the youngest of the main characters, and a character named Dawson, played by a young Vincent D’Onofrio. After Chris’s car is towed to a mechanic shop, Dawson’s Garage, where the windshield and tire are replaced (necessary actions due to previous wild events), the crew finally arrives so they can pick up Brenda and go home. The owner of the shop, Dawson, demands money for his services, and the amount Chris presents to him is $5 short. Now Dawson, who looks a lot like the superhero Thor, who happens to be Sarah’s hero, denies them leave, as he’s still owed money. Sarah, however, believes he is actually Thor, and begins to cry that he isn’t being a true hero. She offers him her replica Thor helmet, softening the man’s heart and changing his mind. This moment is surprisingly powerful, especially after a whole movie’s worth of amusing situations and outrageous moments.
Adventures in Babysitting ends happily for all the “good guys” involved (except maybe Brad, who sees his crush begin a relationship with someone else), and leaves behind a feeling of contentment as the credits roll. Too many films in the modern era have strayed away from this. Everything doesn’t have to be happily-ever-after, of course, but tragic endings are running too rampant. This is a feel-good movie, and it accomplishes it’s goal perfectly. Though in their earliest forms, all the hallmarks of Chris Columbus exist here, making Adventures in Babysitting is one of the most underappreciated films from one of the most underappreciated directors of our time.
Russell A. Wells 