A very entertaining, well directed, well acted YA romp that stands the test of time as it doesn't focus on anything other than the story. I cannot believe I've not seen it before. I mean, it's a solid watch for the hairstyles alone, right?!

My full thoughts and opinions can be heard on The Knife Partty Podcast episode 306

A Touchstone release about a teen’s babysitting job that goes horribly wrong. Elisabeth Shue stars in the lead and does a fine job, as do her children co-stars. There are a few questionable camera angles and character choices in the writing. The tone felt off as well. I wasn’t sure if this was meant for children as there was plenty of swearing, but the plot felt aimed toward a younger crowd. A serviceable movie that I think is worth your time.

Adventures in Babysitting is a Documentary.

The 80s did these teen films better than any era. It's fun, sweet and irreverent. An original plot that wasn't ruined with ridiculous sequels, this is a film that still works and has aged well. Rented this one on Amazon Prime

After her boyfriend Mike cancels their anniversary date, 17-year-old Chris Parker (Elisabeth Shue) invites her friend Brenda (Penelope Ann Miller) over to her Oak Park, Illinois, house to cheer her up, but is convinced by her mother to babysit their neighbors' daughter, eight-year-old Sarah Anderson, while they attend a party in downtown Chicago. Sarah's 15-year-old brother Brad is supposed to spend the night at his friend Daryl Coopersmith's house, but he changes his mind when he discovers that Chris is babysitting his younger sister. After receiving a frantic phone call from Brenda, who ran away to a downtown bus station, Chris plans to go alone to pick her up, but is coerced by Brad, Sarah, and Daryl to take them with her... Rotten Tomatoes consensus states: "Sweet and spry, Adventures in Babysitting gets by on its amiable tone." Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave "Adventures in Babysitting" two-and-a-half out of four stars. He cited the blues club sequence as the movie's best scene, but criticized the film for not doing more with its Black characters. He said the movie had "good raw material," but too many "unrealized possibilities." Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune rated the film three out of four stars, calling it "a genial, warm-hearted romp." He praised the performances of the young cast and called Elisabeth Shue "earnestly appealing," but criticized the movie for a lack of "social awareness." Both critics compared the film to Risky Business and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. (Via Wikipedia) This quite silly/juvenile Chris Columbus teen comedy hasn´t all that much to offer to be honest except the lovely Elisabeth Shue in the main role.

One of my favorite childhood movies and I still love it to this day.

This is a Fantastic and Adventurous Comedy. From Tow truck Driver to the Club where "Nobody leaves this place without singing the Blues.". This Flick had me laughing from beginning to End.

LOL, the funniest 01 hour: and 42 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! However, 2 f-bombs!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I thought I'd give this one a watch. While this film doesn't blaze new ground in regards to the teen adventure film genre, it does what it does tolerably well. Elisabeth Shue's charming lead performance slightly elevates it above mediocrity. A decent movie.

The story follows Chris as her date for the night has to cancel to take care of a sick sister. She is then enlisted by a family to babysit for the night instead. From there, it takes a turn when her friend runs away from home to downtown Chicago with instant regrets. Chris is coerced into taking the very kids she's babysitting along. While driving into the city, her mother's car blows a tire, starting the ‘series of unfortunate events'. The plot falls somewhere in the middle of believable and unbelievably with no one event being impossible on its own, but the stacking of the events being unlikely. Since it's all played for laughs and the stakes are not ‘universe ending' high, most of the typical plot criticisms can be overlooked and enjoyed for what they are: comedy. For me, the biggest criticisms come from the college student Dan who is introduced late in the film and who Chris has a romantic relationship with by the end. There is absolutely not enough justification for this development at this speed. The setting is handled interestingly as a sort of journey into a fantasy world, with a mystic air of danger and intrigue to idealistic kids who have never traveled outside the suburbs. Characters are fairly solid in the context of the story. They are simple suburban kids with just enough motivation and development to get invested in. Simply put, they aren't deep because they don't need to be, though I do appreciate that there isn't a reliance on tropes, keeping everyone fresh. This is all backed by fairly good acting across the board by everyone, even the minor characters I found myself having investment in. I'm always impressed by how much character development 80s movies can cram into a compressed run time. Speaking of, the movie runs an hour and forty two minutes, but it all feels smooth, with very little time wasted and the plot is moved along quickly, never at a pace that felt rushed either. Special effects are kept to a bare minimum since the movie relies on realistic settings. There are a couple of shots that are clearly on a set with a CGI building in the background, but for the most part, you won't be jarred out of the experience. Soundtrack is mostly composed of licensed tracks which offsets otherwise forgettable movie music. I did enjoy the music also being weaved into the plot in an iconic way. Sound design itself is very 80s with over-exaggerated noises that we all know and love. Without question, there is rewatch value to be had in this movie. I've seen it dozens of times and I'll see it dozens more times in the future. Overall, Adventures in Babysitting is a classic that's sits with titans like ‘The Goonies' and ‘Ferris Bueller's Day Off'. It's a fun comedy adventure, made for everyone to enjoy. It's not deep nor does it have messaging because it doesn't need to. It's meant to bring everyone together to laugh and feel good, an objective it certainly completes.

"Adventures in Babysitting" is an awkwardly amusing movie centering around the many mishaps and pitfalls that occur when a single session of the movie's namesake spirals out of control. Though simple in principle, this narrative is ultimately the film's greatest make-or-break point, as it can be challenging to rectify at times what couldn't be described as anything less than a series of exceedingly unfortunate and coincidental events. As a feel-good flick that doesn't take itself seriously in this slightest, it still has an inherent degree of charm, however; especially for those who have a taste for the 80's aesthetic. At the end of the day, if enough suspension of disbelief can be granted, it is a solid watch for a more mature audience.

Basically the family-friendly version of Risky Business. A wacky suburban romp in the vein of Ferris Bueller, Adventures in Babysitting certainly gets creative with the different subplots even if it's light on the character development, turning Chicago into a fantastical wonderland even by playing off how the grime of the city stands out against the puffy shoulderpads of a suburban socialite. The movie really makes its mark in terms of tone, showcasing the early-career talents of director Chris Columbus in the way he can polish up serious concepts and make them seem wondrous, like you're looking through a child's eyes (like transforming an isolated kid stopping a pair of burglars into a fun family caper in Home Alone). None of the performances are particularly noteworthy (most of the classic '80s child actors were probably too old for these kind of roles by this point, or commanded too heavy a salary), but the film can constantly fall back on Columbus's kindly tone even when dealing with mobsters, carjackings, and getting shot at. Never forget that this film introduces the protagonists to a 17-year old streetwalker and then never brings her up again. Elisabeth Shue tried to get Vincent D'Onofrio's address to send him a $5 check, but didn't even think twice about the minor in sexual slavery. (3/5)

Pretty fun family adventure

A Touchstone release about a teen's babysitting job that goes horribly wrong. Elisabeth Shue stars in the lead and does a fine job, as do her children co-stars. There are a few questionable camera angles and character choices in the writing. The tone felt off as well. I wasn't sure if this was meant for children as there was plenty of swearing, but the plot felt aimed toward a younger crowd. A serviceable movie that I think is worth your time.

Que delicia, nostalgia pura dos anos 80, aquela comédia adolescente recheada de aventura, embalada com blues, e o quinteto cativa, esbanjam carisma, química perfeita, clichê, mas deliciosamente divertido…

This 80s comedy was pretty good. Elizabeth Shue, Keith Coogan, Anthony Rapp, Maia Brewton, and the rest of the cast did a pretty good job in this movie. The plot of the movie was humorous and entertaining. It kind of makes babysitting look pretty cool. If you haven't seen this movie yet, you may enjoy it if you decide to watch it sometime. That's my opinion anyway.

I grew up with this movie. In my hometown, people bullied little movie lesbians. I know because I looked like that. "Thor" didn't make fun of her. What a man. The only sexy mechanic to me in the whole world. I used to pretend I was singing to him. Making up little tunes as I walked to my friends' houses and such.

Funny, original, & contains 2 f-bombs (rare in a PG-13 movie)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Unsurprisingly campy and cheesy, but still a pretty good time, Adventures in Babysitting has quite a bit of charm even if it's all over the place. It was fun to see some pretty big names (Anthony Rapp, Bradley Whitford) before they were big. I also appreciated how it went against traditional gender roles by showing us a young girl who is smart, resourceful, and very obsessed with comic books. The romance is a bit forced and the plot itself is obviously pretty ridiculous, but it's a fun outing if you're in the right mood.