Reviews

I remember watching this film when I was about ten and I loved it. I remember being motivated to see it in the first place because Married with children reigned supreme in our house and I loved Christina Applegate. In this movie she didn't disappoint either, as she was not only good in it, but played a character wildly different from mean, dim witted Kelly Bundy. Instead she played Sue Ellen Krandle a decent ,level headed, but restless young woman who is uncertain about her future. Sue Ellen has a contentious relationship with her siblings and mother,but she also is willing to strive for their approval and respect. In other words she is a regular seventeen year old. More mature than her siblings but not quite ready to take up the mantle of an adult. When her mother goes to Austraila, Sue Ellen thinks that she is going to have a care free summer of fun in the sun, when a woman comes to the door and her mother introduces... the babysitter. When mom leaves the seemingly sweet grandma like gem, reveals a nastily terrifying tyrant underneath, and Sue Ellen and her siblings try and keep cool heads. The old be careful what you wish for scenario surfaces when the baby sitter sees Sue Ellens punk brother's bedroom and is literally shocked to death. Sue Ellen finds the woman's corpse and to make a long story short her and her siblings are left for two months with out money or adult supervision. This movie is not perfect from a technical standpoint. It a predicable cheesy fantasy full of scenarios that in real life would be incrediblbly dark. However, for some reason, the acting, the engrossing action pact scenes and the love you have for the respectful a, fresh and resourceful sue Ellen and hate you have for the bad characters emotionally engross you. This movie couldn't hold up today, but for its time, and because the memories it brings I will always love it.

I remember seeing this movie as a kid and I really loved it then, but seeing it as an adult made me view it with a more detached cynical eye. Don't get me wrong there will always be a part of my heart that loves this film, but the cliché's and cheesy melodrama make it hard to watch now. Its basically a coming of age story about three girls who are experiencing that strange and terrifying transitional period in their lives. They are out of high school but not quite sure what to do now that the world expects something from them. All of a sudden every adult is their peer, and they might bulk under the scrutiny of a small town in which everyone knows every one's business or get out. Also there is the matter of romance: some people are late bloomers and virgins some are engaged to be married. The good things about this film are the beautiful vistas and the stunning locations. It made me want to live in New England. There is also the performances: the cast is stellar, and its fun to see people like Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, and Vincent D'anafrio all beloved stars today ham it up as unknowns. How ever some of the story lines were predictable and it got on my nerves to see Julia Roberts wallow in the - I know I'm not going to be anything dramatic rants yet all the time being stunningly gorgeous and incredibly street smart and there was never any doubt that she would be just fine. Kind hearted and Innocent Kat who is book smart but knows nothing about life or love was believable, but you could see her character arc from a mile away. Vincent D's intended who just wants to have sex but isn't sure about marriage had some funny quips but you just felt her story line was made that way so that the writers could go you see how different this is from normal girl roles? Isn't it interesting? Part of me knows that this movie was made in an era when cheesiness, good looks and youngish beautiful people turning in over the top performances and nothing more was acceptable, and the 12 year old in me will always cherish it but as an adult I don't think so.