Disney Channel’s latest original movie, Adventures in Babysitting, is a modern re-telling of the classic 1987 film of the same name, starring two talented young actresses/recording artists, Sabrina Carpenter (Girl Meets World) and Sofia Carson (Descendants).

Jenny Parker (Carpenter) is an ambitious and meticulously-organized young woman who is a trusted, dependable babysitter in her neighborhood. However Jenny’s social life isn’t the greatest—she pines over classmate Zac Chase (Kevin Quinn, Bunk’d) but can’t tell him how she feels about him. Jenny is preparing to apply for college and wants to pad her transcript with a prestigious photography internship. As she heads in for her finalist interview, Jenny discovers that her competition is Lola Perez (Carson). Lola couldn’t be any more different than Jenny. Her wild sense of art matches her wild personality. Lola does whatever she wants (which is also why she has a pile of parking tickets), and carries her prized camera everywhere so that she never misses an opportunity. Lola wants the internship in order to fast track her career as a professional photographer.

During their chance meeting at the interview, the girls’ phones accidentally get swapped. So when the Andersons call Jenny looking for a last-minute babysitter and offer to pay double the normal rate, Lola sees an opportunity to make some badly-needed cash and offers her own services, claiming to be a good friend of Jenny’s. However, it’s not long before Lola’s lack of babysitting experience and lackadaisical attitude proves she’s not equipped to handle the three Anderson kids—chef wunderkind Bobby (Jet Jurgensmeyer, Bubble Guppies), roller derby fanatic AJ (Madison Horcher) and rebellious 14-year-old Trey (Max Gecowets).

By the time Jenny realizes the phones have been swapped, it’s too late because she is already due for a babysitting gig at the Coopers, watching over 7-year-old fashionista Katy (Mallory James Mahoney) and introverted teen Emily (Nikki Hahn). However when Jenny learns that there’s a fire at the Andersons, she loads the Cooper kids into her car and heads off to the Andersons, determined to protect her reputation. Things only get worse when Jenny discovers that Trey Anderson has sneaked out of the house and went into the city for a concert. So the whole gang heads into the city to bring back the teenager before the parents get home. This is just the start of a wild and crazy night in the city involving an impounded car, a run-in with the police, being chased down by a pair of bumbling thieves, a rap battle, a culinary side track, and more.

I was a huge fan of the original Adventures in Babysitting, so I was a bit wary when I heard there was going to be a remake. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this new take on the story. The filmmakers hit all of the major beats of the original film in a fresh, fun way while also making things a little more family-friendly. I was completely entertained throughout. My 6.5 and 9-year-old nieces also enjoyed it (they are huge fans of Decendants, so they really enjoyed seeing “Evie”).

The film mixes clever writing, fun physical comedy and some great performances to give viewers an entertaining action/comedy with a bit of heart. I like the juxtaposition of Jenny and Lola’s very-different personalities—the actresses really play well off one another. Plus, it’s nice to see how they both learn something from one another over the course of the wild night—Jenny to loosen up a bit, and Lola to be a little more responsible. Each of the kids has a unique personality, and the young actors do a great job of bringing these fun characters to life. One of my favorite characters has to be 7-year-old Katy Cooper, who is this hilarious mini adult socialite.

The DVD looks and sounds great (though I wish Disney had also offered a Blu-ray release of the film as well). The picture quality is solid throughout, and the audio track provides both clear dialogue and showcases the film’s excellent soundtrack (including catchy original song “Wildside”, performed by the film’s leads). The only bonus feature included on the disc is a 100-second blooper reel. I really wish they had included more, such as digital copy, the “Wildside” music video, or some kind of interview with the cast and/or creators about updating the classic film. However, inside the DVD case, there is also a magnetic photo frame with a punch out magnet in the center that includes some babysitting rules, ideas and emergency phone numbers.

What’s Included:
Film: (1:33:42)

• 480p / Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
• Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 2.0 Dolby Digital, Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital
• Subtitles: English SDH, French & Spanish

Extras:

• Adventures in Outtakes (1:40)
  In this blooper reel the cast flub their lines, crack up and just have fun on set.
• Collectible Photo Frame
  A magnetic photo frame with a punch out magnet in the center that includes some babysitting rules, ideas and emergency phone numbers.
• Sneak Peeks (3:23)
  Trailers for Disney Movie Rewards, Descendants: The Official Mobile Game, Girl Meets World, and Finding Dory

Final Thoughts:

Disney Channel’s latest original movie, Adventures in Babysitting, is a fun re-imagination of the classic 1987 film. While all the major beats of the original are present, the film feels quite fresh and original, and is a bit more family-friendly than its 1980s counterpart. The entire cast is excellent, and deliver some really humorous, laugh-out-loud moments. The DVD presentation looks and sounds great, but unfortunately the only bonus feature included on the disc is a 100-second blooper reel. Whether or not you were a fan of the original, this film really stands on its own and is definitely worth checking out for a fun family movie night.