Directed by: Chris Columbus
Written by: David Simkins
Starring: Elisabeth Shue, Keith Coogan, Anthony Rapp, Penelope Ann Miller
Release Date: July 3, 1987
⭐️⭐️⭐️½ (3.5 out of 5)
Revisit Adventures in Babysitting (1987), Chris Columbus’s charming directorial debut starring Elisabeth Shue. This 80s cult favorite blends teen comedy, suburban satire, and pure heart for an unforgettable night out in Chicago. A Lovable Relic of 80s Teen Comedy
When Adventures in Babysitting hit theaters in 1987, few could have guessed that this modest teen comedy would become such a beloved 80s relic. Directed by Chris Columbus in his feature debut and starring the effortlessly appealing Elisabeth Shue, the film captures both the reckless fun and innocent sweetness of a bygone era of studio comedies.
Now nearly four decades later, the movie remains a charming time capsule — a story about a young woman thrust into chaos, navigating danger, city lights, and clueless boys with the poise of a true hero. It’s not perfect, but it’s bursting with personality, humor, and a big, silly heart.
Elisabeth Shue Shines as the Ultimate Babysitter
Elisabeth Shue plays Chris Parker, a suburban teen whose fancy date night gets canceled by her no-good boyfriend (a smarmy Bradley Whitford). With nothing better to do, she agrees to babysit the Anderson kids — Sara (Maia Brewton), an imaginative little girl obsessed with Thor, and her older brother Brad (Keith Coogan), who secretly adores Chris.
When Chris’s best friend Brenda (Penelope Ann Miller) calls in a panic from a Chicago bus station, Chris does what any self-respecting babysitter shouldn’t: she loads the kids into her mom’s station wagon and heads downtown to rescue her friend. Along for the ride is Brad’s wisecracking buddy Daryl (Anthony Rapp), who blackmails his way into the adventure.
A Night in the City — and One Misadventure After Another
From a flat tire on the expressway to a run-in with car thieves, mobsters, and blues musicians, Adventures in Babysittingunfolds as a whirlwind of absurd urban escapades. The tone is pure slapstick adventure, but what makes the movie sing is how earnestly it commits to the fun.
There’s even an unforgettable scene in a blues club where the gang is forced to perform a song about — you guessed it — babysitting. It’s utterly ridiculous, yet somehow delightful, especially with legendary bluesman Albert Collins on guitar.
Chris Columbus’s direction is rough around the edges, but that scrappiness gives the film its charm. The Chicago streets are grimy and chaotic, yet Columbus’s camera treats them with affection and humor. You can already sense the filmmaker who would go on to craft Home Alone and Mrs. Doubtfire, using suburban order clashing against urban chaos as the source of comedy.
A Sweet and Surprisingly Sincere Coming-of-Age Story
What elevates Adventures in Babysitting beyond its genre peers is its sense of sincerity. Beneath the gags and goofy peril lies a story about responsibility, growing up, and self-belief.
The standout emotional moment comes late in the film, when young Sara meets a mechanic who looks just like her hero Thor (played by a pre-Law & Order Vincent D’Onofrio). When he snaps at her, Sara insists he’s only acting that way because he doesn’t have his magic helmet — and then offers him hers. It’s a simple, touching gesture that captures the film’s earnest belief in the magic of kindness and imagination.
Columbus has always been gifted at moments like these — small, sincere beats in the middle of chaos — and this scene remains one of the sweetest of his career.
How It Holds Up Today
It’s true that Adventures in Babysitting contains a few outdated moments, particularly in its racial and gender politics, a common issue with many 80s comedies. But the film’s missteps feel more naïve than malicious. At its core, this is a movie about decency — about a young woman trying to do the right thing in an impossible situation.
Judged by the standards of its day, it’s a delightfully silly, often hilarious teen comedy that never forgets its heart. The performances are loose and joyful, the pacing brisk, and the city feels like a wild playground where danger and laughter exist side by side.
Final Thoughts
Adventures in Babysitting may not have the layered wit of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off or the rebellious edge of The Breakfast Club, but it doesn’t need to. Chris Columbus set out to make a fun, fast-paced urban adventure, and he succeeded.
Nearly 40 years later, it’s still an endlessly rewatchable crowd-pleaser — a film that reminds us that being a “babysitter” can be as heroic as being a superhero, especially when you’re played by Elisabeth Shue.
