"The Babysitter's Seduction" makes a nifty little TV thriller. It starts out as a very good mystery with absolutely no suspects in who killed Bill Bartrand's wife and made it look like a suicide. Then we begin getting suspect after suspect. Alas, the identity of the culprit is given away much too soon. Director David Burton Morris must rely on suspense, chills, and thrills for the rest of the film. As the movie progresses one wonders if the babysitter is seducing Bill Bartrand or if Bill Bartrand is seducing the babysitter. Slowly we get the drift of what is really taking place. This part of the story is well written and directed. Some reviewers found it repulsive and unbelievable that a 50 year old man and a 20 year old woman (in the movie 40 and l8) could get it on. Have they not heard of sugar daddies and now sugar mamas? The babysitter wants to fill the dead wife's shoes, car, house, jewelry, and become the mother of her two children. Because of this, she doesn't see what others see, especially Det. Kate Jacobs, until it is almost too late. The final scenes in Bill Bartrand's house are edge of the seat suspense, particularly for a television movie.
The acting is above average for a TV movie. Keri Russell made her character believable once she got warmed up to the part. Stephen Collins was just right for his role, a charming creep who becomes very menacing. I prefer seeing Tobin Bell as a heavy, but he does fine as Bill Bartrand's detective friend. They played football together in school and he was close to Bartrand's wife.
