The Baby-Sitters Club (1995, Rachel Leigh Cook, Schuyler Fisk)

Based on the best-selling novels of Ann M Martin, this sweet comedy drama has an endearing appeal. It follows a group of seven funky 13-year-olds who, during one eventful summer vacation, learn that friendship and honesty pay dividends in their increasingly complicated world.

The septet consists of tomboy Kristy (Sissy Spacek’s daughter SCHUYLER FISK), pretty shopaholic Stacey (BRE BLAIR), serious Mary Anne (RACHAEL LEIGH COOK), eco-friendly Dawn (LARISA OLEYNIK), good-natured artist Claudia (TRICIA JOE), dancer Jesse (ZELDA HARRIS) and writer Mallory (STACEY LINN RAMSOWER).

Together they make up The Baby-Sitters Club, a self-run agency catering to the suburban community of Stoneybrook. They’ve decided to pool their resources in an attempt to set up a day camp for their young clients, but spend most of the time saving their project from the malicious intervention of snobby schoolmates or wrapped up in their individual problems. Claudia, for instance, is failing biology and has to pass if she’s to stay in the Club, while Stacey has got herself in trouble by lying about her age to impress 17-year-old Luca (CHRISTIAN OLIVER).

But the main story concerns Kristy. The normally perky leader of the BSC has recently become aloof from the rest of the group, ever since her irresponsible real dad (PETER HORTON) turned up after a six-year absence. Now he’s trying to insinuate himself into her life, getting her to keep quiet about his reappearance to Mum (BROOKE ADAMS) and much loved step-dad (BRUCE DAVISON). Only best friend Mary Anne knows of Kristy’s secret and the other members of the Club are getting fed up with the pair’s cloak and dagger behaviour.

Of course, things work out in the end, thanks largely to the help of Mrs Haberman (ELLEN BURSTYN), the neighbourhood’s frightening old bat who turns out to be a spirited and sympathetic ally to the girls’ causes.

Ann M Martin’s books have obviously struck a chord having sold over 125 million copies of The Baby-Sitter Club series and the film’s story (lifted from volumes 45, 86, and Kristy’s Book) has the balance just right. It’s safe without being patronising, sweet without being schmaltzy, and dramatic without straying into the sex and drugs and rock ‘n’ roll sensationalism of puberty blues. Director Melanie Mayron (who played Melissa to Peter Horton’s Gary in Thirtysomething) juggles the plot lines with sincerity, energetic humour and clarity and elicits delightful performances from her appealing young cast.

production details
USA | 94 minutes | 1995

Director: Melanie Mayron
Writer: Dalene Young (from stories by Ann M Martin)

cast
Schuyler Fisk as Kristy Thomas
Bre Blair as Stacey McGill
Rachael Leigh Cook as Mary Anne Spier
Larisa Oleynik as Dawn Schafer
Zelda Harris as Jessi Ramsey
Vanessa Zima as Rosie Wilder
Brooke Adams as Elizabeth Thomas Brewer
Bruce Davison as Watson Brewer
Ellen Burstyn as Emily Haberman
Austin O’Brien as Logan Bruno
Kyla Pratt as Becca Ramsey
Colleen Camp as Maureen McGill
Peter Horton as Patrick Thomas
Christian Oliver as Luca
Lily Costner as Lily