I know better than to like a movie like The Sitter. I know better than to laugh at its over-the-top stereotyping because it's been done to death. I know better than to laugh when I hear one of the squeaky clean kids rattle off another f-bomb because it's borderline exploitative. I know better than to like The Sitter "¦ but I still like it.
Let it be said that Jonah Hill looks pretty much fed up with these roles. You can tell he's not delivering these lines with the same oomph that characterized his earlier roles in Superbad and Knocked Up. Still, the guy is relentlessly enjoyable to watch. Landry Bender, who plays little Blithe, is a scene-stealer and that's saying something in the presence of someone who's been in comedy for a handful of years now.
One of the things I wasn't expecting about this movie is the zany factor "“ you've got bodybuilding bodyguards, a gay rollerskating doorman and on and on. Sam Rockwell turns in a really funny performance as a crazy drug dealer. It's seriously bizarre stuff and seems to come out of nowhere.
Unfortunately, the same can be said of the obligatory dramatic scenes. Everyone gets their few minutes to talk about how messed up their lives are, Hill dumps out some contrived, melodramatic slop and we're done. These scenes bring the film to a screeching halt. Max Records (Where the Wild Things Are) is in the unenviable position of having to do the most heavy-lifting in terms of acting and he's just not up to the task yet. Not to mention the South American kid, who has absolutely nothing to do here but blow things up to keep the plot moving.
The Sitter is going to get ripped apart by film critics nationwide. I've got the sneaking suspicion no reputable critic is going to admit to liking it even if they do (it's already sporting a pretty low score on RT). Flaws intact, it's still got the touch of an interesting director and some really fun performances. You might not love it, but it's not as bad as everyone else is saying it is.
