Sue Ellen Crandell (Christina Applegate) a 17-year-old high school graduate who fakes her resume and gets a job as an executive assistant in the clothing industry.

All because her mother has gone to Australia for a vacation and left an elderly lady in charge of her and four siblings. However the babysitter soon dies and Sue Ellen has to make ends meet for the rest of the kids.

What I thought would be a zany comedy in the style of Weekend at Bernie's turns out to be Working Girl lite for teenagers.

A bait and switch from what you expect from the movie poster.

Applegate is winsome but this is a half baked story which is a teen girl romantic comedy than something aimed at a wider child audience.

Teenager Sue Ellen (an excellent and appealing performance by the ravishing Christina Applegate) has to go get a job and become a part of the hectic white collar office rat race in order to raise enough money to take care of both herself and her other siblings after mean old babysitter Mrs. Sturak (a memorably nasty turn by Eda Reiss Merin) suddenly croaks.

Director Stephen Herek, working from a witty script by Neil Landau and Tara Ison, keeps the enjoyable story zipping along at a brisk pace as well as maintains an engaging lighthearted tone throughout. Applegate makes for a wonderfully spunky and personable lead, looks like a million bucks in various fancy designer threads, and nicely handles the arc of her character becoming more mature and responsible as the narrative unfolds. Moreover, it's acted with zest by an enthusiastic cast: Joanna Cassidy as friendly boss Rose Lindsay, John Getz as the smarmy Gus, Josh Charles as the affable Bryan, Keith Coogan as rowdy pothead headbanger brother Kenny, David Duchovny as pushy jerk Bruce, Kimmy Robertson as the perky Cathy, Jayne Brook as the snarky Carolyn, and Danielle Harris as the scrappy Melissa. Further galvanized by a spirited soundtrack, this baby overall rates as a total treat.

Rambunctious teenagers, left alone with a cantankerous guardian while Mom is away, must fend for themselves after the old crone croaks (they use the dirty dishes for target practice: "The dishes are done, man!"). Airheads antics for an undiscriminating target audience, although Christina Applegate approaches the limp material with a dry resolve which is admirable and appealing; playing the eldest of the colorful clan, she rises far above the script and general handling. Second-half of the movie takes a sharp turn into big-business waters which, while too klutzy to be called satire, nearly achieves a certain unsteady charm. *1/2 from ****