
The Babysitters goes 'for the jugular'
Colombian-born actor John Leguizamo's latest film "The Babysitters" has set out to push the boundaries of what makes people cringe.
The story follows Shirley Lyner (Katherine Waterston), a high school student who baby sits for a couple, and unexpectedly has an affair with the father Michael Beltran (John Leguizamo).
While there is a sense of awkwardness between the two characters, it is through their inadequacies and neediness they find an unspoken language between them.
The unexpected affair takes a twist and turns into a business relationship, as a guilt laden Michael tips Shirley for her post-baby-sitting favours.
"It's not a little risque, the movie is really going for the jugular in risque. It's a taboo movie, basically, but it has a lot of redeeming factors about it," Leguizamo said.
"It's exploring this world of no morality, lack of morality, and how are you supposed to behave in this society where everything is stimulating you and sexualised."
After Michael's married friends find out about the liason, they want in on the babysitter action. It isn't long before Shirley recruits a group of her friends to babysit for suburban married couples in the area, and provide extras for the husbands on the ride home.
Shirley gets 20 per cent of their pay, and has quickly become a madam with a booming business.
Needless to say, the resulting complications threaten to unravel the lives of everyone involved.
© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.
