Adventures in Babysitting

A lot has changed since the original Adventures in Babysitting from 1987. The young characters who found themselves unwittingly caught up in misadventures on a night in the big city—all while under the failed supervision of a hapless babysitter (Elisabeth Shue)—now have counterparts with cell phones and digital cameras who listen to G-rated rap music in this tame 2016 remake. A typical Disney Channel movie for ‘tweens, the new Adventures centers on an unlikely alliance between rival high school girls with night-and-day differences. Jenny (Sabrina Carpenter) is a rigid, rule-following, ultra-responsible teen vying for the same internship as Lola (Sofia Carson), a looser, moody artist type who is given to casual irresponsibility. The girls dislike each other from the start, but they end up working parallel babysitting gigs and are inevitably thrown together—along with their charges—winding up lost and broke in an urban core setting. Chased by a couple of Home Alone-like dopey villains, the minors find themselves in some slapstick chases, all while keeping a step ahead of parents and getting Jenny prepped in time to meet a boy she likes. It's all good fun, although actual wit is in short supply, which is a shame, since filmmaker John Schultz's often paint-by-numbers effort could have used a little anarchy. A strong optional purchase (T. Keogh)