Seventeen-year-old Shirley is a good student who works as a babysitter in order to make money for college. One night Michael, a father Shirley works for, confesses he's unhappy with married life. Shirley has a crush on Michael, and seizes this moment to kiss him. Michael is so happy he presents Shirley with a big tip, which gives her an idea. Shirley plans to make extra money by setting up her teenage friends with other unhappy fathers.
Acting
Katherine Waterston's deadpan hustle masks genuine vulnerability
Writing
Dialogue that treats exploitation like a PowerPoint presentation
Director
David Ross
John Leguizamo
Michael Beltran
Katherine Waterston
Shirley Lyner
Cynthia Nixon
Gail Beltran
Andy Comeau
Jerry Tuchman
Denis O'Hare
Stan Lyner
Lauren Birkell
Melissa Rowan
Louisa Krause
Brenda Woodberg
Halley Wegryn Gross
Nadine Woodberg
Ann Dowd
Tammy Lyner
Spencer Treat Clark
Scott Miral
Jason Dubin
George
Ethan Phillips
Mark Wessler
Paul Borghese
Cook
Chira Cassel
Health Teacher
Anthony Cirillo
Adam Beltran
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This film arrived at the exact cultural moment of 'girlboss' parody—just before we had language for it. Shirley's spreadsheet sincerity predicted the 2010s hustle aesthetic.
Director David Ross based the concept on a real 2001 New York Magazine article about a Long Island prostitution ring involving... actual babysitters. The real story had more arrests, less indie soundtrack.
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