‘Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead’ (2024) Review – A Dope Remix That You Won’t Want To Miss

Teen and family movies are a staple for moviegoers, especially when they take place during the most anticipated time of year: Summer. Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead is the one to kick the warm season off the right way with a coming-of-age family comedy that audiences are sure to enjoy. A remake of the 1991 film of the same name, this version is upbeat and relevant to today’s climate while not sacrificing the plot to make that point.

Tanya Crandell (Simone Joy Jones of Bel-Air) had her heart set on a trip to Spain, fully intending to finally let her mom raise her siblings while Tanya got a life of her own. That is until her mother (Ms. Pat of the Ms. Pat Show) has a nervous breakdown and must attend a wellness retreat. Estranged and overworked after the death of their father, the mom hurriedly rushes to find a babysitter, Ms. Sturak (June Squibb of Hubie Halloween), and flees away from the kids who barely listen to her anyway. Ms. Sturak – a role where Squibb showcases her signature hilarity in a tense situation –  wastes no time dropping threats coded in racism, but these kids aren’t easily pushed around.

After the titular babysitter unexpectedly dies at the sight of Black teen joy, the siblings are left to fend for themselves. With no food in the house – and subsequently no money – Tanya gets a job at a fashion agency for a free-flying boss named Rose (Nicole Richie), but she must fake her entire persona to do it: age, resume, everything.

The usually laid-back Tanya and her siblings must suddenly mature, especially her oldest brother (Donielle T. Hansley Jr. of Containment) who is forced to step in as the at-home leader while Tanya is at work. Minus a few hiccups, they seem to rise to the occasion, but it’s Tanya whose life is a little more complicated as she’s thrust into adulthood, working a new job, raising a family, and experiencing a budding romance. Luckily, with a little help along the way, Tanya gets the job done while still having the summer of her life, and she learns a few things about herself and her family in the process.

Lead actress Simone Joy Jones does a great job alongside the dynamic cast, and not a moment of screen time is wasted. Director Wade Allain-Marcus confidently directs throughout with one of the best moments being a romantic scene in an arcade that brings nothing short of nostalgia. Updated from the 1991 version, Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead is a remake that gets it right, mainly because it doesn’t completely change the story. 

Instead, it updates it while providing representation for Black audiences and an outlet to educate on certain aspects of race in a funny lighthearted way. With help from her genius little sister – who should be working for the FBI – the siblings create a fake identity to make money, figure out how to get rid of the babysitter’s body, and ultimately learn how to be the best versions of themselves and survive.

A delightful play cousin of Home Alone, it’s freeing, funny, and fierce. If you’re a fan of films like Love Don’t Cost a Thing, Roll Bounce, Monte Carlo, Big Fat Liar, or any movie with a summer adventure, you’ll love this film.

With full confidence in saying so, it’s the type of movie that fans have been begging studios for regarding not wanting trauma or heavy subject matter embedded in comedy preferring to want to watch people have a good time. Written by Chuck Hayward, Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead is a classic tale with a dope remix that you won’t want to miss.

Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead will be in theaters nationwide on April 12, 2024, and streaming exclusively on BET+ beginning May 16, 2024.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdT5YyVeW8o]