I remember watching this film when I was about ten and I loved it. I remember being motivated to see it in the first place because Married with children reigned supreme in our house and I loved Christina Applegate. In this movie she didn't disappoint either, as she was not only good in it, but played a character wildly different from mean, dim witted Kelly Bundy. Instead she played Sue Ellen Krandle a decent ,level headed, but restless young woman who is uncertain about her future. Sue Ellen has a contentious relationship with her siblings and mother,but she also is willing to strive for their approval and respect. In other words she is a regular seventeen year old. More mature than her siblings but not quite ready to take up the mantle of an adult. When her mother goes to Austraila, Sue Ellen thinks that she is going to have a care free summer of fun in the sun, when a woman comes to the door and her mother introduces... the babysitter. When mom leaves the seemingly sweet grandma like gem, reveals a nastily terrifying tyrant underneath, and Sue Ellen and her siblings try and keep cool heads. The old be careful what you wish for scenario surfaces when the baby sitter sees Sue Ellens punk brother's bedroom and is literally shocked to death. Sue Ellen finds the woman's corpse and to make a long story short her and her siblings are left for two months with out money or adult supervision. This movie is not perfect from a technical standpoint. It a predicable cheesy fantasy full of scenarios that in real life would be incrediblbly dark. However, for some reason, the acting, the engrossing action pact scenes and the love you have for the respectful a, fresh and resourceful sue Ellen and hate you have for the bad characters emotionally engross you. This movie couldn't hold up today, but for its time, and because the memories it brings I will always love it.
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tub8338828 October 2013
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mazunderscore25 February 2007I remember watching this film when I was growing up, I loved it then and I still love it.
Despite the fact it's obviously predictable, it's a fun film that's well acted and directed and has a great soundtrack.
Christina Applegate is quite impressive as Sue-Ellen, as is the rest of the cast.
Most of the characters are quite black and white with the obvious "baddies" getting their comeuppance towards the end of the film. Predictable films howeverm, aren't always bad. Especially if they are well acted and the characters are interesting. The only character that was meant to be nice that I found utterly annoying, was Josh Charles as Sue-Ellen's sugary sweet suitor, Bryan. His acting was great don't get me wrong, but I think it's safe to say Bryan wouldn't be MY type!
If anything else, this fun film is easy to watch and will remind most people in their mid 20's of their adolescents. -
viv-151 July 2005You know... I've seen this a couple of times and I'd see it again. It made me laugh. It was charming. It was a harmless flick; no psyches were harmed in the making thereof. Granted, no real thought needs to be put into watching it. But it was fun, and I enjoyed it.
Christina Applegate especially impressed me, which is noteworthy as -- at the time -- I really disliked her as a result of really disliking "Married With Children." She was not only good in her role but, I have to say, pretty much won me over.
I can't say that the film made me wish I had siblings or a dead babysitter, but it did entertain me, and it made me smile to remember it watching this review, which has got to be worth something. -
movies2u16 January 2004Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead (1991)
This is one of the best and the last 80's style comedies along the lines of "Uncle Buck". Sue Ellen (Christina Applegate) is the oldest of 3 brothers- Kenny (Keith Coogan), Walter (Robert Gorman), Zach (Christopher Pettiet) , and 1 sister- Melissa (Danielle Harris). Excited about her mom leaving for Australia on vacation, Sue Ellen is expecting to have a great summer- that is until she discovers she is going to be "babysat" by the evil Mrs. Sturak- a mean, grumpy old hag who gives you book reports instead of letting you watch television in the evening. Then, Mrs. Sturak dies- leaving Sue Ellen and her four siblings to survive the summer, prompting her to get a job to support her brothers and sister, put food on the table, and learn the true meaning of responsibility. This movie has some laughs and is pretty fun and entertaining. A good family comedy. 8/10. -
quisha-0119516 February 2021I loved this movie as a teenager, and still love it now , it's funny the acting is wonderful, and it's just a silly movie to relax and enjoy
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TheOneThatYouWanted3 November 2018This film is sort of like a perfect time capsule for what life was like before the internet. What a trip.
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AlsExGal31 December 2022Christina Applegate plays Sue Ellen, a 17 year old recent high school graduate whose mom goes to Australia for a business trip, and hires an elderly babysitter to watch Applegate and her 4 younger siblings. The babysitter ends up rubbing all the kids the wrong way, and she conveniently drops dead of natural causes. The kids come up with a plan to drop her off at the morgue or the police station (it was unclear which), and fend for themselves for the entire couple of months their mother is gone.
But the babysitter had all of the money, so now Sue Ellen has to get a job to support them until their mother returns. Sue Ellen (Applegate) gets a job at some sort of Chuck E Cheese establishment, and promptly quits due to the overly cheery nature of her boss (she finds it all obnoxious, as would I). She forges a resume and ends up getting a job at a clothing company as an executive administration assistant. Since she is only 17, this job proves to be a struggle for her at first. Somehow, Sue Ellen manages to keep her 4 younger siblings alive and healthy, while bringing in a steady paycheck. Since this is a comedy, you can probably guess that certain people don't come back when they are supposed to, which adds to the conflict.
I was impressed with all the kids, but I thought Applegate was the best. I don't know why I never realized before how good she is at comedy. Very predictable, but the kids made it worth watching, as they all held their own, and weren't overly annoying, as some child actors are prone to be. If I remember correctly, this was advertised as low brow escapist entertainment when it was released, and that is pretty much what it is. -
MikeK19873 May 2010This really should've been 2 movies. There are 2 great premises here that are almost completely unrelated that are just squashed together into 1 not-so-good film. We have the hilarious slapstick comedy of covering up the death of an elderly babysitter, and a woman trying to find a way to save the company she works for (which is a movie that I personally wouldn't have cared for, but probably would've made a great chick flick), both of which could've easily carried themselves over an hour and a half each.
Instead, all we get is a half-hour of comedy and an hour of boring Yuppie-ville Corporate America, with the plot of the first half-hour poking it's head every so often, mercilessly trying to remind us that we're supposed to be watching a comedy. But just as quickly as those every-so-often's come up, they disappear back into the void.
And they should've done away with the 'no money, gotta get a job' plot device, as that was pretty much what killed the rest of this film. They could've developed a lot more comedy just out of them say... having a party and trashing the house, or relatives come looking for the babysitter, or mother comes home early, or from the fact that they should've just called an ambulance in the first place seeing as how the babysitter really did die of natural causes and they wouldn't have been in any trouble anyway, or any number of possible plot devices that could've been so much funnier than Christina Applegate parading around in Yuppie-land. And as for that part of the film being it's own movie, this section has a lot more detail than the first half. Just add a bit more character development to the supporting cast, and bam, you got that film.
The acting is overall fairly decent though. Christina Applegate is definitely convincing as both the valley girl and the yuppie. Keith Coogan as Kenny and the hilarious pranks that him and his gang pull are sadly underused in my opinion, although his transformation from stoner slacker to Julia Child-obsessed chef throughout the film is one of the best parts of the film. Josh Charles (whom everybody would remember as anchor Dan Rydell from the show Sports Night) as the boyfriend Bryan does a fairly decent job here as well.
Eda Reiss Merin as the elderly babysitter had me scared stiff. The actress also was sadly underused before the character's untimely death. I mean, come on. The title of the movie is based on this character. Had that been it's own movie (forsaking the Corporate America bit, as I suggested earlier), they could've developed the character a lot more. Maybe have her dole out some worse embarrassments and harsher punishments to the children before her death.
Most of the actors in the latter part of the film were pretty stiff. The actress who played Carolyn should've been replaced, as it seemed that she read her lines like a wannabe actress in a poorly written commercial. I was however surprised to see David Duchovny (long before his triumphs on The X-Files & Californication) with the worst hair cut the 80's had to offer, and stiff as a board in the acting department.
So basically that's it. 2 good premises, but one overall lousy film. -
FloatingOpera715 August 2007Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead (1991): Christina Applegate, Joanna Cassidy, John Getz, Keith Coogan, Josh Charles, Concetta Tomei, David Duchovny, Kimmy Robertson, Jayne Brook, Eda Reiss Merin, Robert Hy Goman, Christopher Pettiet, Chris Claridge, Danielle Harris, Jeff Bollow, Alejandro Quezada, Michael Kopelow, Wendy Brainard, Sarah Buxton, Laurie Morrison, Kawena Charlot, Deborah Tucker, Sydney Lassick, Michelle Mais, Oscar Jordan, Marc Epstein, Frank Dent, Steve Ruggles, Kristen Corbett, Carl Tramon, Ethan Wilson, Logan Duncan, Robert F. Newmeyer....Director Stephen Herek, Screnplay Neil Landau, Tara Ison.
Comedy on film was much better 16-20 years ago, as with this 1991 film from Director Stephen Herek. "Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead" was successful at the box office and before long it was not only on VHS but even on television (Fox 11 aired this film owing to the fact its star Christina Applegate was a cast member in their hit show "Married With Children".) Applegate portrays Sue Ellen Crandell, the spoiled daughter of a single mother (Concetta Tomei) who takes off on much needed three-month vacation for the summer. The siblings are unruly, the eldest is lazy, irresponsible freeloading "rocker" type, and when the mother takes off on her vacation, they are confident they will enjoy freedom. But the mother hires a babysitter, an elderly woman, who is tough on them. It's not long before she has a heart attack and dies. It's up to Sue Ellen to support her siblings by taking a job in clothing/fashion production. Lying in her resume, she accidentally lands a job as the personal assistant to the editor Rose Lindsey (Joanna Cassidy), striking up jealousies and rivalries with co-workers Carolyn and Bruce (Jayne Brook and David Duchovny). It's nice to see David Duchovny before his X-files fame but the part is no big thing. The real star here is Christina Applegate who matures from irresponsible teen to working adult. The plot may be far-fetched but it works owing to a good script and fine acting. Plenty of funny lines, a little romance, and a coming-of-age story makes this a winning comedy. -
kairingler29 December 2013I really enjoyed this movie,, very funny, lot's of humor,, you have an old grandma, who looks 90, acts like a drill sergeant towards the kids,, the boy is totally reckless, clueless and lazy,, the teen girl actually shows ambition, and wants to earn money,, not like today's teen girls that's for sure.. Christina Appelgate stole the show for me,, I wish her career would have blossomed, the parents go to Australia for 3 months, and the kids are left with a mean old lady to babysit them,, shortly thereafter the babysitter crokes,, and the kids are left alone to fend for themselves... I got many a laugh out of this movie,, which is exactly why I bought it for in the first place.. not to mention,, Christina Appelgate..
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nutz4n6421 December 1999I was young. I loved Home Alone 1 and 2. I was disappointed that I didn't see this one in the theaters because of the previews. I had to rent it. Back then, I tried to convince myself that this movie was good, that I've never seen a bad movie. This was a complete waste of two bucks that could've gone to more useful things (gum?). I can't recommend that anyone should waste any time or money on it. Let's just say that Police Academy 5 is more worthwhile.
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preppy-31 November 1999OK the premise is dumb--A mom is going on vacation to Australia for two months. She has five children and leaves them with a tyrannical babysitter. The babysitter dies (of natural causes) within the first 15 minutes and the kids basically have to live alone all summer...but need money for food. The oldest one is 17 year old Sue Ellen (Christina Applegate)and she easily gets an executive position (just like real life, right?) at a fashion agency and, naturally, is incredible at her job. And her brothers and sisters learn values from her example...
Sounds horrible, but it's well-acted (especially Applegate and a drop dead gorgeous Joanna Cassidy), it moves quickly, is very funny, has a great soundtrack of new AND old songs and I enjoyed every minute of it! Not a great movie by any means, but if you can turn off your brain for 2 hours, you'll really enjoy it! -
pittfacerose17 March 2021I forgot how dreadfully fantastic this movie was in its own way! Nothing compares to 90 movies and American hotdogs :)
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bek-1213 December 1998The best part of this picture is seeing Christina Applegate as the beautiful women she is, in different scenarios, hairstyles, dresses, etc. There's not a lot of fine acting, but there is a little crude comedy. Okay for a Saturday afternoon, but I wouldn't rent it for a Saturday night movie.
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abbylee5192 May 2002I loved this movie, even now, 10 years later, I think it's great.
The movie starts with the main character, Sue Ellen crowing to her friends about how she's going to be on her own this summer, because her mother is going on a 2 month vacation, but to her surprise, the mother does not trust her 17 year old daughter to be in charge for 2 months, and hires a babysitter, who turns out to be an evil 80 year old nazi, and the kids immediately despise her.
Lucky for them, she dies fairly soon, and they pretty much drag her body to a funeral home, ring the doorbell and run. No, that's not incredibly plausible. But good lord, it's a kids comedy. There's going to be some stretches in there.
Anyway, so the kids are broke, and Sue Ellen decides to get a job. She gets a job at a fast food restaurant, but decides she needs a more mature job, so she makes up a fake resume, and applies for a receptionist job (which for a 17 year old, isn't such a stretch), however, before she can apply for it she bonds with one of the big wigs at the company, and this big wig makes her an assistant. Some people commenting here forgot that 1. She was NOT an executive, she was an assistant, and 2. She didn't do that great of a job, they never actually showed her working. She was hired and kept on because her boss adored her, not because she was some sort of secretarial prodigy.
This movie obviously could never happen, but hello, could Home Alone actually happen either? I can't believe people take these comedies and complain about how unrealistic it was. This movie's objective was to entertain, not make any sort of political statement.
Anyway, it was fun, it had a cute ending, and I thought Christina Applegate did a swell job acting in this one. -
Rainey-Dawn28 June 2014This is a funny no-brainier comedy with a group of kids about as dorky as the cast from "Fast Times At Ridgemont High", not quite as stylish as clan from "The Breakfast Club" and not as cool as the gang from "Grease". But this group does have a way of making you laugh in-spite the fact the babysitter is dead.
While you are grabbing a bit of fast food on the way home be sure to pick up this movie too. It is a good watch if you are wanting to see a stupid but funny teenage packed comedy flick.
This movie may make a good double-flick night with "Weekend at Bernie's" or "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure".
7/10 -
michaeltrivedi30 November 2019This movie was really good. I randomly watched it on Netflix, and it really impressed me. The movie ended on a weak note, but even that was warranted. Nothing else to say except this was one good watch. It ended as soon as it started, and I was in almost all the way through.
The movie is about a mother who leaves town, leaving her five kids with an old babysitter. When the sitter dies, they must fend for themselves. They get into a lot of trouble, but it all works out at the end of the day.
It was good. Nothing was exceptional. It was just straightforward fun. There were no serious situations to get out of, and no great lessons worth learning. Christina Applegate did not look that attractive in this, and I believe she was trying to pose as the "nice girl." David Duchovny makes an appearance too, but this was probably before his X-Files fame. The movie takes place in LA which is a plus. And the kids are fun to watch.
All in all a good watch!
See it!
7 stars -
richrdkeynmprsnlmail13 March 2009There were many of us who only liked the ballads of the 40's and 50's, that were often used in this movie, with it taking some of us a long time to also appreciate rock. If you fall into this category and enjoyed the overdone comedies of the 40's and 50's also, you should not only enjoy it, you may even relate to what's happening. I had reached the point of liking it when it was first released, for it brought back memories of those overdone comedies of the 40's and 50's. All who liked "Big" should also enjoy it. At a young 74 in 2009, I enjoyed watching it again on one of the movie channels, for which you pay a little extra, like Showtime. After this many years, I had forgotten some of the plot, so it was in some cases like watching it for the first time. In another ten years or so, should the opportunity arise to watch it again, I'll do this. Should you be watching it with someone who has never seen it, to make it the best for them, by all means do not reveal any of the plot. Last but definitely not least, I as an amateur actor, who understands the deep importance of "feeling the part you are playing", the very beautiful Christina Applegate,in this movie's major role, very effectively plays the different characters she must play.
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jfgibson7322 January 2011This movie was nothing like what I expected it to be. It looked to me like a movie where the kids get the run of the house and go crazy, throwing parties and doing outrageous, irresponsible things. It ended up being closer to Working Girl: the oldest teen has to get a job and falls backwards into an upwardly mobile fashion career. The responsibilities of maintaining the house eventually turn each of the children into productive citizens.
What bothered me wasn't so much the story as the fact that almost nothing was funny. It ended up being closer to a drama. The performances were cartoonish, but at the same time, weren't into so-bad-they're-funny territory (except for the guy who played Gus. Someone should have seen this movie and realized the potential this actor had as a physical comedian).
Once in a while, we get a good line or two, like when the brother and sister were arguing like a married couple. My opinion was that it was an idea with good potential that was completely mishandled. -
Okay right from the top this is not great art but with that title were you really expecting it to be? If you want that go watch a three hour Ingmar Bergman film but if you want a breezy, silly comedy with good performances and a snappy pace than this is for you.
The whole setup is preposterous but so are many 80 & 90's comedies, Adventures in Babysitting, Home Alone etc, but once this one gets past its bumpy intro scenes it actually becomes a more focused story of a young girl finding her way through unexpected responsibilities.
It helps a great deal that the cast headed by two very good actresses. Christina Applegate as Sue Ellen the young teen who finds out she is more resourceful than she realized and the marvelous Joanna Cassidy as Rose, her new boss. Keith Coogan is also a lot of fun as stoner brother Kenny who belatedly grows up.
Besides the good performances the film is filled with some amusing quotes, enjoyable situations and a flashback to 90's fashion. A pleasant diversion but again don't expect anything high toned and you'll enjoy the ride. -
shelbythuylinh3 December 2021As when she has to be forced to raise on her four younger siblings there. When the evil babysitter dies when their single mom is away. And that she has to do actual work.
But that she goes and learns about life. And that over in trying to hide over in the situation at home. As the siblings when she gets a job, finally get money and use it meaning embezzlement there.
Look for a then unknown pre-X-Files David Duchovny in this movie there. -
Nick Zbu26 June 2012While not a really bad movie, 'Babysitter' has a few issues that make me wonder if anybody making it knew what a depressing film they were making. The idea of a woman having to work to support her overpriviliged brat siblings is an interesting one, but really doesn't mesh with the way this film is promoted. And the promoted version seems a lot more fun than what turns out to be a very stupid Afterschool Special mixed with an abandoned whodunit combined with a coming-of-age story that really falls flat.
What was the original point of this film? Did anybody really think that making a film aimed at teenagers in 1991 wanted to see someone from Married with Children slowly turn into Al Bundy live on the screen? Or that changing your stoner brother was the way to live life? I can understand what the movie wants to say--that you change into adulthood in ways you never thought possible--but it does so badly. The movie works when it's about the family dealing with their own issues. It fails when it tries to be Kelly Bundy's Smarter Twin Being All Career Woman.
A quick look at the Trivia section of this fine website shows that this movie once had the loaded title 'The Real World.' Was this even supposed to be a comedy? Regardless, everybody in it does a good job. But I wonder what kind of movie they would have made if they tossed the preachy blue-collar indoctrination out the window and just had fun with it. The movie, as it stands, really seems like it's talking down to you right before it goes on about the four touchdowns it made in a single game. And it's quite sad to see what could have been. -
chloe-webb-0114 July 2012How could you NOT like this movie! I am watching it right now, and it has inspired me to write a review, and hopefully give it more recognition and more importantly, a higher rating!!!! Kids home alone with no parents, free to do whatever, but also trying to maintain living! Each character has their own stereotype- Walter the youngest: a handful, Melissa: the disobedient tomboy, Kenny: the headbanging rocker drop-out, Zachary: the calm, but sneaky love struck teen and Sue-Ellen: the responsible, yet hip mother of her siblings. This movie is full of much excitement and a great plot. You cannot go past this underrated classic!
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kevin_robbins18 September 2023I recently rewatched Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter is Dead (1991) on Hulu. The storyline follows a group of teenage and pre-teenage siblings who are left with a babysitter when their mom leaves the country. Shortly after their mom's departure, the babysitter unexpectedly passes away. The siblings decide to keep this news a secret from their mom and attempt to enjoy the summer on their own, which proves more challenging than they anticipated.
Directed by Stephen Herek (Critters) and the cast includes Christina Applegate (Married with Children), Josh Charles (Four Brothers), Keith Coogan (Adventures in Babysitting), Joanna Cassidy (Blade Runner), David Duchovny (X-Files) and Danielle Harris (Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers)
This movie is a childhood classic that played a significant role in my teenage years. I must have watched it a hundred times. Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter is Dead immerses you in its story from start to finish. The cast is perfectly chosen, and every character feels relatable. While the circumstances are exaggerated and unrealistic, they are still entertaining. The well-written dialogue and enjoyable circumstances unfold perfectly. This successfully carries the 80s brand of comedy into the 90s.
Overall, Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter is Dead is a fun film suitable for all ages, as long as you don't take it too seriously. I would give it a 6.5-7/10 and strongly recommend it. -
dellaroccokc1 August 2014So Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (AKA The Secret to My Success 2: Electric Boogaloo) is one of the most shameless wannabee ripoffs I've seen. You can tell from the image that this movie has on IMDb. The pull quote from the top of the image reads "Its Home Alone Times Five"...Whoever wrote that should be stripped of the right to free speech. It wants you to think that this movie has something to do with a bunch of kids and the fact that they have to deal with being "home alone". But it doesn't. There's 5 kids and the movie only deals with 2 of them. I say that because they're the only ones who have an arc. One of them plays baseball, one of them had a girlfriend at 11 years old but then didn't for reasons we don't know or care, and one of them fell off a roof. Wacky.
So it begins with a quick intro to the two main characters, the oldest sister and brother. The brother is a stoner, and the sister...seems to be just a normal girl with normal problems one would have at her age.
RANT ABOUT THE MOM: just about the worst person in the world. Seriously? You leave your 5 kids alone for 2 months? This is a premise no one can identify with. Because...WTF. She asked the babysitter if she knows there are 5 kids 1 minute before she leaves...
So I'm going to skip over the babysitter part. Because its not important. The movie's title is about her dying, and its not the least bit important. There's no drama from this situation. You figure it can be almost like Weekend At Beernies, where they have to play like she's still alive to people. Like a relative comes by to check on them or whatever and they have to make it seem like she's there. But no, there's two scenes on the phone where the mom's asks where she is and they're just like "uhhhhhhhh shes gone".
OK, so Kelly Bundy needs a job now to pay for food. Which is the only thing the movie shows as a need when the mom is away. Apparently the big house they live in is devoid of food when the mom leaves for 2 months. You figure this could be an amount that a fast food job could handle. But Kelly says F that I'm too good for this ish.
So then she try's to get a high class job at a fashion...place. And she gets one under false pretense. But there's some mean lady trying to bring her down. This is pretty much the stakes of this movie, and why this movie fails. If she gets exposed, there is no bad thing that would happen. She would just lose her job, and her mom would come back a few days later and life would go back to normal. You could say that she was embezzling money and she would have gotten in trouble for that, but it's like 3 grand...maybe probation...not something a movie should be based around.
Blah blah, the other kids make appearances here and there...blah blah, the stoner wonders if this life of "Rock and Roll!!!" is whats best...blah blah wait, is that David Duchovny? What is he doing here? He could have been written out and the movie would have preformed exactly the same.
I guess I should just end this thing now. So Veronica Corningstone is going to save the company with her fashion sense. It has never been established that she has a superior fashion ability. She just grabs some clothes, and off she goes. You could have made this make sense in 30 seconds with a scene earlier in the movie with her displaying some sort of fashion opinion at a high end clothes store or something. Showing she has some sort of untapped potential at this. But nah.
She for some reason decides to hold a fashion show at her house. You can debate that it was to save money which she didn't have, but that party looked like it cost a s-ton. This was a perfect opportunity to give all the kids a quick arc to show that they can do chores now. At the party everything goes fine til the boyfriend shows up. I didn't mention him before because he's not really important (they could have made him important but there is a 30 minute stretch where he's not mentioned or appears). He sees a house with 50 cars parked in front, doesn't recognize the signs that this might not be the best time to confess his love over a loudspeaker, and messes everything up. Doesn't matter because the Mom shows up and everything's exposed. Which results in nothing. Nothing at all...
Listen, the point is that this movie has no purpose. It is two movies rolled into one, resulting in nothing. You can do a movie about a dead babysitter, and the crazy mishaps resulting in that, or you can do a movie about a girl trying to fake her way into high society...which is what they did. The problem is that we don't have any background or connection with this main character and the danger she's taking in lying about this job she's in. She's just doing it to make some food money. And she'll be OK in a couple of days when mommy gets home.
And this is the director's fault. Somewhere he should have put more meaning in the characters. Giving them more of a reason to be better, or establishing that they are crappy to begin with. The older brother was this, but was done with the subtlety of a wrecking ball. Its your job to give this movie purpose and drive, and it pretty much lacks it all.