Adventures in Babysitting (1987)
76%RT Audience Score: 70%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 4 nominations
Sweet and spry, Adventures in Babysitting gets by on its amiable tone
Adventures in Babysitting is a classic ’80s movie that’s a must-watch for anyone who loves a good laugh. Sure, the plot might be a bit ridiculous, but that’s what makes it so entertaining! The characters are lovable and relatable, and the hijinks they get into will have you rolling on the floor. It’s the perfect movie to watch with your friends on a lazy Sunday afternoon, and you’ll be quoting lines from it for weeks to come. So grab some popcorn, settle in, and get ready for a wild ride with Adventures in Babysitting!
Production Company(ies)
Live Entertainment, Dog Eat Dog Productions, Inc.,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
MPAA / Certificate
PG-13
Year of Release
1987
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:NA
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Jan 18, 2000
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
Adventures in Babysitting, Elisabeth Shue, Maia Brewton, Keith Coogan, Anthony Rapp, Calvin Levels, Vincent D’Onofrio, Chris Columbus, Debra Hill, Lynda Obst, David Simkins, Comedy, PG-13, box office, budget, reviewed by Carrie Rickey, Jay Carr, Melissa Morrison, Ellen Futterman, Michael H Price, Pat Graham, Juan Carlos Coto, Stephen Hunter, Ángel Luis Inurria, Kathi Maio, producer, director, writer, babysitting, high school, car thieves, blues musicians, soft-core juvenile anarchy, likable, John Hughes, selfish-teen movie, prom, preppie, unoriginal, frenetic, cute, youth-movie maestro, dimensionless characters, vulnerable, sympathetic, bad guys, funny moments, unique, entertaining, horror movies, MCU movies, Netflix series, TV shows, streaming movies, audience score, Tomatometer
Worldwide gross: $34,368,475
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $91,737,532
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,061
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 10,004,093
US/Canada gross: $34,368,475
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $91,737,532
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 794
US/Canada opening weekend: $2,901,297
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $7,744,243
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,024
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $7,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $18,684,644
Production budget ranking: 1,398
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $10,061,681
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $62,991,207
ROI to date (est.): 219%
ROI ranking: 593
Maia Brewton – Sara Anderson
Keith Coogan – Brad Anderson
Anthony Rapp – Daryl Coopersmith
Calvin Levels – Joe Gipp
Vincent D’Onofrio – Dawson, Thor
Director(s)
Chris Columbus
Writer(s)
David Simkins
Producer(s)
Debra Hill, Lynda Obst
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 4 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (42) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (29) | Rotten (13)
In many ways, Babysitting is interesting for what it is not: namely, a John Hughes selfish-teen movie that asks, “Will the girl from the wrong side of the tracks get invited to the prom by the preppie?”
June 26, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Carrie Rickey
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
Although far from original. “Adventures in Babysitting” is a likable exercise In soft-core juvenile anarchy.
June 26, 2021
Jay Carr
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
John Hughes: Take a lesson.
June 26, 2021
Melissa Morrison
Arizona Republic
TOP CRITIC
“Adventures” Is undeniably cute without being too cutesy and very likable despite its unoriginal and somewhat frenetic nature.
June 26, 2021
Ellen Futterman
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TOP CRITIC
The true villain of the piece is novice writer David Simkins, whose doltish plot and dimensionless characters suggest a failed imitation of youth-movie maestro John Hughes.
June 26, 2021 | Rating: 3/10
Michael H. Price
Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com
TOP CRITIC
None of it adds up to anything consequential.
June 26, 2021
Pat Graham
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Idiotic plot aside, there are surprisingly funny moments.
August 19, 2021 | Rating: 2.5/4
Juan Carlos Coto
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
It doesn’t quite work, Shue’s attractiveness notwithstanding.
June 26, 2021 | Rating: 2/4
Stephen Hunter
Baltimore Sun
It doesn’t add anything to the genre and produces certain boredom. [Full Review in Spanish]
April 7, 2020
Ángel Luis Inurria
El Pais (Spain)
There is no winning with this movie.
August 28, 2019
Kathi Maio
Sojourner
The direction is fast-paced, the characters are vulnerable and sympathetic and even the bad guys have their moments.
October 9, 2016
Cathy Burke
United Press International
One very unique and entertaining comedy that has yet to be duplicated.
June 23, 2016
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed…
Plot
Chris Parker agrees to babysit after her boyfriend, Mike Todwell, stands her up. Expecting a dull evening, she settles down with three kids for a night of TV…and boredom. But when her frantic friend, Brenda, calls and pleads to be rescued from the bus station in downtown Chicago, the evening soon explodes into an endless whirl of hair raising adventures. Chris and the kids leave their safe suburban surroundings and head for the heart of the big city, never imagining how terrifyingly funny their expedition will become.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t say anything goofy or funny about Adventures in Babysitting, but it does mention that Elisabeth Shue stars as Chris Parker.
Chris-Columbus.jpg
