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Our take
Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (2024) is a loud remake aimed at teens, not the 1991 original's softer vibe. Strong language is frequent in dialogue and songs, and weed, drinking, vaping, and an overdose mention show up in the chaos. The kids hide a dead body for comic reasons, and racist or crude workplace talk is part of the humour. The strong swearing, teen drug use and corpse gag make this a fairly adult comedy.
Uplifting themes
Siblings learn to pull together when adult help disappears and bills keep coming. Responsibility arrives late and messy, but care for each other still shows Tanya works hard to keep food on the table for her younger siblings after Mum leaves. The cover-up and workplace lies undercut any clean mentoring message
Story (may spoil tone)
Seventeen year old Tanya's plans for a carefree summer are derailed when her stressed-to-the-limit mom takes off for a wellness retreat and puts Tanya and her three siblings in the charge of a crotchety (and racist) old babysitter. The babysitter’s sudden death leaves the kids short on cash and reluctant to pull mom prematurely out of her much-needed R&R, so Tanya is forced to get a job. Posing as an adult, she gets a gig as the executive assistant at a fashion company and overnight is thrust into the world of adulthood and parenting.
Details
Violence TV gunshots and slapstick scraps appear around the household mess and o…
TV gunshots and slapstick scraps appear around the household mess and office panic attacks. Real fight choreography is not the draw of this remake
Language Lots of strong swearing, mostly the f-word in songs and sibling fights,…
Lots of strong swearing, mostly the f-word in songs and sibling fights, plus the s-word, damn, hell, and b-word. Coarse language is a constant teen-comedy beat
Sex / nudity Kiss talk, sexual-harassment course jokes, and naked-friends comments k…
Kiss talk, sexual-harassment course jokes, and naked-friends comments keep things flirty and crude. There is no graphic sex scene, just adult workplace and sibling humour
Drugs / alcohol A teen unknowingly eats a cannabis brownie and has a skateboarding acci…
A teen unknowingly eats a cannabis brownie and has a skateboarding accident. Marijuana smoking, vaping and drinking also run through the comedy; the film plays much of it for laughs
Child peril / abuse Younger siblings are left in a teen's care after the babysitter dies an…
Younger siblings are left in a teen's care after the babysitter dies and Mum is away. The peril is played for comedy, yet kids are unsupervised in a risky cover-up
Bullying / discrimination Racist remarks from the babysitter and workplace jokes about race and i…
Racist remarks from the babysitter and workplace jokes about race and identity get called out and mocked. Discrimination is named, not celebrated as the whole film
Gore / death / weapons The dead babysitter becomes a running gag, including funeral-home talk…
The dead babysitter becomes a running gag, including funeral-home talk and casual corpse jokes. Bodies work as comic props more than graphic gore
Dangerous behaviour Teens hide a death, skip calling authorities, and fake adult credential…
Teens hide a death, skip calling authorities, and fake adult credentials for a job. The film treats the scheme as a romp, which younger viewers might copy in fantasy
Grief / bereavement A funeral-home drop-off joke brushes against death while the kids scram…
A funeral-home drop-off joke brushes against death while the kids scramble for cash and cover. Mourning is not taken seriously in this comedy remake
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
Family watch notes
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Talk after watching
- Tanya lies about her age to keep the household afloat. When does protecting family tip into a lie that could hurt everyone?
- The film jokes about racism and workplace power. How do you tell satire from punching down?
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Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead
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