It’s improbable that Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead would have been at the top of anyone’s list if there had been office pools for prospective Hollywood movie remakes. After all, the critical and commercial reception of this 1991 black comedy starring Christina Applegate was not stellar, and its standing hasn’t exactly improved with time. That being said, HBO featured it almost exclusively for a long time, and you had to enter Blockbuster to avoid seeing its advertising materials there. Therefore, the new version, which includes a cast that is primarily black, has nostalgia value as well, which it wisely acknowledges by including certain nods to the original.
Otherwise, the lackluster plot isn’t really improved by this Wade Allain-directed version, which counts Tyra Banks among its executive producers (the actress/model was also originally supposed to feature in it). It sticks quite closely to the original, tweaking here and there instead of completely revamping it, and seems more appropriate for an eventual streaming release rather than a theatrical run.
SYNOPSIS
The plot centers on what occurs when a stressed-out mother (comedian Patricia “Ms. Pat” Williams) has a meltdown at work and abruptly leaves town for a two-month immersion retreat in Thailand. Tanya’s 17-year-old daughter feels disappointed because she had hoped to travel to Europe with friends. However, she now must stay at home and look after her younger siblings.
June Squibb, the national treasure, was the elderly Mrs. Sturak, the babysitter her mother had hired. However, the apparently kind older woman who arrives with a Bible exposes a sinister side. Immediately after leaving, the mother pulls out a starting gun and tells the terrified kids, “I watch Madea movies; I know how to discipline you, little N-word.”
Since the title makes it clear what occurs next, there is no need to reveal everything here. A police officer arrives unexpectedly. The panicked brood hides Mrs. Sturak in a refrigerator. She passed away. They argue about what to do next. One suggests leaving the body with a message at a funeral home. In a sweet homage to the last movie, another chastises, “It’s not 1991; use your head.” Instead, they put her in a car. They drive it into a lake. This all occurs roughly twenty minutes before the opening titles.
Tanya pretends to be older. She applies for a job at a fashion design company. Rose, the boss, hires her as an executive assistant. Caroline, the receptionist, is upset because she wants the job. Tanya needs the money to keep them afloat, so she does this. Tanya, who works as a rideshare driver, meets Bryan (Miles Fowler), an attractive young architect, and they start dating tentatively.
Review: “Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead”
A number of mildly intriguing narrative twists follow, such as Tanya noticing Rose’s boyfriend having an affair with a younger lady, her siblings maxing out credit cards to buy expensive house upgrades like a skateboard ramp, and Caroline growing more and more wary of the recruit. Chuck Hayward’s screenplay does have some humorous moments along the road, such as when Tanya declares, “I need this job!” after learning that the company’s finances are in danger. I’m not rich enough for OnlyFans!
The personal and professional subplots don’t really add together, and the latter never quite reaches the potential of Devil Wears Prada (Richie’s employer, while occasionally abrasive, never quite reaches Miranda Priestly proportions). The light proceedings appear largely undercooked after its darkly comedic setup, missing the subversiveness that may have given the remake a purpose to exist. The film mostly relies on Jones’s charisma, as she adeptly portrays the struggling Tanya.
The late-film appearance by a prominent actor from the 1991 version will delight fans of that movie. However, anyone who appreciated the original work to that extent is likely too old to wish to revisit it.
