The Babysitter

 2.5/4

Starring: Judah Lewis, Samara Weaving, Emily Alyn Lind, Hana Mae Lee, Robbie Amell, Bella Thorne, Andrew Bachelor

Not Rated (probable R for Violence/Gore and Language)

I wanted to like this movie more than I actually did.  The film has a lot of energy and enthusiasm, the actors are in on the joke, and at 85 minutes it doesn't overstay its welcome.  Unfortunately neither the screenplay nor the direction are up to snuff.  It's not scary or funny enough to fully satisfy.

Cole (Lewis) is an 11 year old kid who is afraid of everything.  The neighborhood kids routinely egg his house and everyone seems to take every chance to pick on him.  The only ones who really like him are Melanie (Lind), the girl across the street he has yet to see in a romantic way, and his "too cool for school" babysitter Bee (Weaving).  Cole is infatuated with Bee, and it's no wonder.  She treats him like he's older than he actually is and lets him get away stuff his parents would never suspect.  He begins to reassess his opinion of her when he realizes that she is the leader of a satanic cult and intends on using him as a human sacrifice.

A good horror comedy must tread a fine line between the two genres.  Go too far in one direction and it will throw the whole movie off balance.  For the most part, director McG finds the sweet spot in that regard (even if it's a little too "in your face").  It's easy to see how this movie could work.  Yet the whole thing feels lackluster.  It's not funny enough or scary enough.  The script lacks bite and the shocks are easy to predict.

Certainly the actors are on their game.  Judah Lewis is convincing as a dork who isn't as self-assured as he'd like to be.  He has no trouble navigating his character arc.  Samara Weaving is a scene-stealer, capturing the mixture of maturity and naughtiness that would make any kid think she's the world's best babysitter.  It's a good performance that requires a deft touch on her part.  The rest of the cast has fun baring their teeth and taking things to an 11.

I liked what I saw, but I wanted more.  There's a sense that either the filmmakers are holding back or the script just isn't as good as they think it is.  "Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse" proves that this kind of thing can be done right, but "The Babysitter" just isn't at that level.  There are too few laughs, too few scares, and too little fun.

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