The Babysitter, as the celluloid counterpart to Coover's story, takes a different tack from the start. The viewer is made very aware that the movie is basically going to be an Alicia Silverstone extravaganza. Walking to her job as the babysitter, Jennifer (Silverstone) is the object of much covert attention- her boyfriend Jack (Jeremy London) gapes at her from a car, a police officer spies her in his rearview mirror, and ubiquitous hood Mark (Mickey Katt) crosses the street to bother her for a date that night. Jennifer proceeds to stomp down the street towards the Tucker's. This is a girl with a mission!

Strangely enough, although Jennifer is lusted after by all the males in the film, including Mr. Tucker and his nine-year-old son, she seems obsessed with the reality that she will baby-sit and the film does not give her an opportunity to respond or contemplate the attention she constantly arouses. It is unclear whether Jennifer is oblivious to the people around her or simply has a case of demented tunnel vision.

After threesomes, adultery, and blood-spattering fistfights are covered by the characters' imaginations, Jack opines, "I don't know what's real or not anymore." The problem with The Babysitter is that real events of the film are all too apparent in contrast with the sequences dealing with characters' imaginative wanderings. The turmoil and surrealistic nature inherent in the story is sadly lost in the film.