An impressive cast takes a cliched and often done plotline and makes it seem like art. Young Christian Slater proves himself to be a match for the likes of many veteran actors of the stage and screen, and creates a memorable psychopathic teenager. He finds his match in neighbor Lois Smith, recovering from a stay in a mental hospital, hired as babysitter for his younger sister, terrorizing her but discovering in a bloody way that she can still take care of herself.
There's also the teen bully who gets his from Slater, his parents who are too busy trying to make it in society, and the poor cat whom Slater abuses. This isn't gory, although there is blood, but the scenes with the cat are disturbing. Dina Merrill and John Cunninham, as wealthy relatives of Smith's, provide insight into why she is how she is, and Tandy Cronyn and Dan Ziskie as Slater and Brooke Tracy's parents why those kids are messed up.
For me the performance of stage legend Smith is quite amazing, subtle and vulnerable, showing both her kindness and her toughness. Having seen her many times over the year on stage (including her Tony winning role in "The Inheritance") and on screen as every kind of character that could ever be, she is one of the great classic actresses of our time, always commanding the moment. This could have been a cliched mess, but thanks to a better script than normal for a film like this is quite well done.
There's also the teen bully who gets his from Slater, his parents who are too busy trying to make it in society, and the poor cat whom Slater abuses. This isn't gory, although there is blood, but the scenes with the cat are disturbing. Dina Merrill and John Cunninham, as wealthy relatives of Smith's, provide insight into why she is how she is, and Tandy Cronyn and Dan Ziskie as Slater and Brooke Tracy's parents why those kids are messed up.
For me the performance of stage legend Smith is quite amazing, subtle and vulnerable, showing both her kindness and her toughness. Having seen her many times over the year on stage (including her Tony winning role in "The Inheritance") and on screen as every kind of character that could ever be, she is one of the great classic actresses of our time, always commanding the moment. This could have been a cliched mess, but thanks to a better script than normal for a film like this is quite well done.