Movies have always reflected to some degree or another current state of the socially accepted social morality. For example back in 1983 a little film called ‘Risky Business’ shocked a fair amount of people with its story of a high school boy turning his home into a brothel while his parents were away. Of cause the shock quickly faded and this flick helps to start Tom Cruise on the road to international super stardom. Almost a quarter of a century later some independent film makers decide to put that old saying of good for the goose is good for the gander to a turnabout test with the flick ‘The Babysitters’. Basically a high school girl, Shirley Lyner (Katherine Waterston) decides to turn her babysitting into a very successful call girl service. Some may try to defend a flick like this with comments like female empowerment or some other such excuse. What really matters is the film reaches well beyond its grasp failing to reach any potential it could have aspired for. If you just consider the title you might come to the conclusion that this is some soft core faire shown on Cinemax at night and the truth of the matter is you would not be that far off. The movie loses a lot of what little it has to offer by not making a decision as to what it is going for and sticking to it. It waffles between trying to send some sort of young women in charge of their own fate and bodies and a night time flick that fails to muster enough nudity and simulated sex to compete with the rest of the adult movies that are pervasive on cable at 2 a.m. I would have appreciated the movie a lot more if it was honest with itself and the audience. If you are going to make a soft core Lolita fantast soft core flick at least do so with a little pride in you work and go all in and have fun with it.

The film was written and directed by David Ross. This is his sophomore effort as screenplay author with one horror flick under his belt and first time out as the director. I do give him credit for trying something different that yet another slasher teen flick or high school drug and sex fiasco. He at least attempted a modicum of story line here even if the results fall flat. There is a glimmer of hope here mostly provided by an excellent, highly professional cast that must have seen something to attract them to this project since it is doubtful that a huge paycheck was the incentive at least not for a movie that had a domestic theatrical take under $50,000. I can almost get what the film maker might have been going for here and although I didn’t find the effort successful the movie is a character study where there is no real Hollywood happy ending. If it was done more as a free form series of experiences and moments in lieu of a formal narrative it would have come across much better. The topic if presented in that format could have highlighted a theme of desolation and selling out what you know is morally correct for a brief monetary boon. It would have been very interesting to see a minimalistic deconstruction such as is becoming popular with the so called ‘Mumblecore’ films. The emotional contentment could have overcome the genre vacillation that plagues the production.

The story may represent a mal e fantasy for some keep in mind several felonies are committed here and the story would require only a little re-working to wind up on ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’. Right there a double standard is exposed since ever 24 years before this film was made few people worried about such implications when it was a handsome, high sprinted boy in charge with his hooker girlfriend. In this incarnation of a tale of lust and greed Shirley Lyner is trying to pick up as few bucks by babysitting for a neighborhood family. The film is told largely from her vantage point looking back to how out of control her life had become. It all started when she was babysitting for Michael Beltran (John Leguizamo) and his wife Gail (Cynthia Nixon). While driving her home one night they make a detour to explore a deserted building and begin flirting. That end in a kiss and Michael offers her money not to tell his wife. Of course his wife just doesn’t understand him and Shirley is not attracted to the immature boys her own age. It doesn’t take long before she is taking money to have sex with him. Dress it up with all the pseudo romance you want but let’s be honest here; the girl is a hooker. Middle aged men being what there are in flicks like this the word soon spreads and Shirley is rapidly overbooked. Since it was already established that she is a natural organizer there is only one thing to do; sub contract the overflow to her friends collecting a 20% fee of course. Congratulations Shirley, you have moved up to management as a pimp, or perhaps Madam is a more appropriate term. When one girl tries to keep the jobs and money not paying Shirley her fee. Shirley has one of the tougher girls in her employ explain the rules as it were. Things get tangled up very quickly but in the end there is really no repercussions dealt out so you can’t point to a redeeming social message. The cast is excellent especially Leguizamo who trys his best with what he had to work with. Waterston is a willowy beauty with potential that remained under utilized here. Hopefully here time served here will open better doors for her.