Babysitting (I) (2014) User Reviews

Comedy, farce, heist, social commentary, fantasy. Entertaining.

[gadfeal · 8/10 · 30 August 2021]

This is mainly a "magician cum comedy" in which reality is suspended - not by magic, but by impossibly enacted sequences that only CGI and digital processing could depict.

The actors are excellent (M. Caine, M. Freeman, M. Ruffalo), or good (J. Eisenberg, W. Harrelson), or competent (D. Franco, and the new actress whose name I don't recall).

The good guys are also "bad" guys, criminals are Robin Hoods, the only thing of value is money, nobody gets killed.

It's a cartoon narrative, not to be taken seriously with visually meticulously staged action, and lots of extras.

From an entertainment, production values, and main acting, it was a satisfying, if forgettable, 8. For social commentary - it was a bit "hit me over the head" explicit (insurance companies are "corrupt", run by one person, and their clients are "duped"). However, the REAL social commentary is how herd-like people can be if they find that being part of a crowd of thousands in a dank warehouse district for the sake of entertainment is a worthwhile use of one's evening.

I won't be seeing the money-milking sequel. Been there, done that!

Film for some fun!

[petarmatic · 6/10 · 9 January 2015]

During these days when Paris is so brutally attacked by the terrorists, I had a privilege to watch this film which shows us joyed filled France.

Plot is very simple and for these types of films a very usual one. I really liked actors and acting but as in all French films there is overacting involved, just like this one. But you would be asking for some other cinematography, if you did not want to have that. Ah, well we are just used on it.

I can say that I saw worse and better films then this one, but for fun I think you can watch this one. You will not waste your time entirely and you will see how French people have fun during babysitting. Party for all!

I expected better but it's okay

[deloudelouvain · 7/10 · 21 January 2016]

Just finished watching Babysitting after a friend told me about it. I honestly expected more from it. He told me I would be laughing the whole movie and that didn't happen. I guess we don't have the same sense of humor. But all in all I did enjoy the movie. There were a couple scenes that made me laugh. Could it have been better? For sure, but then again I saw way worse comedies then Babysitting. And even though I like Gérard Jugnot, especially in his time with the comedy team Le Splendid, in this movie he had a minor role and he's been funnier then that. The movie is fine to watch once, you will probably laugh a couple times, but it's not a masterpiece either.

Good fun and very French

[Thomas_S · 7/10 · 10 February 2019]

I've often been disappointed by French films. Too dragged out. Too dour. Too silly. No talent. No inspiration.

But this one is different. It's solid comedy, and the mannerisms shown are based on how the French really are today - exaggerated, of course. It's comedy.

Solid comedy. Not a masterpiece, but good entertainment.

'Project X' with Adults in France

[n-mo · 10/10 · 5 January 2020]

It's not often that one finds a remake of an "alpha" mainstream film that is the superior of its elder but that is exactly what 'Babysitting' is: take 'Project X', age the kids to 30 years old and move the setting from Pasadena to the posh western suburbs of Paris. Here, the characters are more believable, the comedic timing is sharper and more consistent and even the setup and plot, for all their ludicrous mishaps, are far less improbable.

'Babysitting' doesn't try to take itself seriously but the creators are self-aware and the actors have a terrific grasp of the range and depth of human emotion. It's pretty obvious from the get-go what can - and will - go wrong when a Bright Young Thing's best friends show up to throw him a surprise birthday party on the weekend he's been tricked into babysitting for his boss's spoiled but lonely little brat in the family's presumptuous residence. The movie is aware of this predictability and plays on it, but it works because it carries a steady rhythm to the end and even manages to surprise us with its dynamic treatment of the victim family.

If you like this cast (they do a lot of films together, including a terrific adaptation of 'Nicky Larson') or you're into thirty-seconds-to-the-next-joke marathons à la 'Airplane!' or 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation' you should love this one. If you have no sense of humor, then please just go away. :)

For F.F Fan's

[gab-67599 · 10/10 · 17 August 2022]

Anyone who likes Found-footage will love this one! It was like everything that happened in this movie was n sync. You would think switching from F. F, back to a movie would be annoying or not look right but it all just FIT! Fast-paced, there was so much to see in this movie I feel like I need to watch it again, just to make sure I didn't miss anything the first time. Great characters, very believable acting. I wish I would have known about this movie sooner because it was worth seeing. I will definitely be checking to see if the director has made anything else.