Big Screen Blurb: The Sitter

Take a babysitter who stuffs a kid's face with three boxes of donuts...locks him in the closet with a TV that is showing an endless loop of light skin flix on Cinemax. In that parental nightmare of a scenario, you still probably have a better babysitter than ole Jonah Hill in The Sitter; at least that's how it starts.

Noah (Hill) is a college flunky and all-around floundering, self-centered, twenty-something. He's got a girlfriend, but he doesn't--she's just interested in his tongue and potential drug-buying skills. He's got a dad who is out of the picture and literally could not care less about him. And, he's got a babysitting gig, which Noah is about as excited about as his "girlfriend" is about recipricating. Therefore, Noah's evening looks bleak until said 'gf' promises him sex in return for buying some cocaine from the local freaky, deaky drug-king, Karl (Sam Rockwell).

Enter the three kids. They are neglected rich kids and battling their own issues. Blithe (Landry Blender) is the youngest. She's about five and is stuck on looking and behaving like a combo of a Kardasian and Paris Hilton. Rodrigo (Kevin Hernandez) is adopted. He's quickly rejecting his new family before they have an opportunity to reject him. Finally, there's Slater. He's thirteen and gay; and thus, dealing with all of the anxiety brought on by that combination. Noah is forced to take the kiddies with him for the drug score and the...uhh...other score. That's when things get out of hand. Rodrigo steals from the drug lord and all hell breaks loose. Yadayadayada...Noah tries to make it right for all, while learning that helping others is often the best therapy for helping yourself.

It's good. I'll go with 3.0 Stars on this one. It started funny...hit a point where I thought it was going to quickly fall apart, but then rebounded and rounded into a nice flick. Sure, there are some roll your eyes moments, but it's worth a watch. Jonah continues his role through Hollywood and plays Noah well. Ultimately, it's a great message. Noah sees the traits that he struggled with through the kids in his charge. With that, he grows up by helping the kids deal with their issues. Noah helps Blithe grow up and start acting like a five year old instead of Paris Hilton. He helps Slater accept himself, who promptly helps Rodrigo embrace his siblings and new family.

There's a lot out there in movieland. This might be a rental for you when it comes out on video in April. It will be a well-spent 82 minutes, when you do get to it; and ole Noah might've taught us all something while learning something himself.

True...OUT!