In Lies My Babysitter Told, Ben Meyerson spins a familiar narrative of infidelity, but with a surprising twist that delves into the complexities of a concealed homosexual affair. The film stars Nicole Marie Johnson, Ben VanderMey, and Daniel Di Amante, and follows Carnie, a housewife who has temporarily set aside her career to embrace the role of motherhood. Once thriving in an interior design firm, Carnie has taken an extended leave to devote herself fully to her newborn daughter. However, despite her commitment to family life, she begins to suspect that her husband, Nick, might be unfaithful.
As tensions rise, Carnie is forced to navigate the mounting challenges in her marriage. Will she find a path to happiness and stability with her daughter, or will the fractures in her relationship with Nick continue to deepen? The story unfolds, keeping viewers on edge as they discover the fate of this unraveling family.
Spoilers Ahead
Lies My Babysitter Told (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
“Lies My Babysitter Told” opens with Carnie following her husband, Nick, to a hotel room, driven by her suspicion that he is having an affair with her boss, Paula. However, when Carnie enters the room, she discovers that Nick is simply in the middle of a business meeting with colleagues. Overcome with embarrassment, Carnie rushes out. But Nick reassures her, embracing her and promising that he will never betray her. Fast forward three years, and Carnie is now a mother, playing with her newborn daughter. Nick has been increasingly consumed by his work, distancing himself from his family.
One day, Carnie receives a phone call from her former boss, offering her a six-month contract with a lucrative incentive. Although initially hesitant to return to work, as she is fully dedicated to raising her daughter, Carnie begins to reconsider. The opportunity to hire a trusted babysitter from her past allows her to entertain the idea of taking the job. Additionally, Carnie realizes that returning to work could help Nick achieve their shared dream of purchasing a new house. While spending time with her daughter, Carnie crosses paths with Matt, Rhonda’s son, and begins to consider him as a potential babysitter.
Why does Carnie decide to make Matt the Babysitter?
Carnie decides to make Matt the babysitter largely because of the immediate bond he forms with her daughter, Emily. Carnie observes how well Emily connects with Matt. It gives her confidence that he can take good care of her. Having known Matt from a previous gathering at Rhonda’s, and with Rhonda being a close family friend, Matt already feels familiar. When he offers to babysit Emily while Carnie and Nick go out for dinner, she sees this as an opportunity to manage her strained relationship with Nick.
Carnie is going through emotional turmoil at the time. She feels that Nick is growing distant from her. Carnie suspects he has lost interest in her. Moreover, the news that Paula is now part of Nick’s work project intensifies her discomfort. Her past fears about an affair between Nick and Paula make it difficult for Carnie to communicate openly with him. In her vulnerable state, Matt’s sudden presence feels like a much-needed relief.
By appointing Matt as Emily’s babysitter, Carnie hopes to gain some personal time away from the stress of her marriage and motherhood. Additionally, Matt’s role as the babysitter would allow Carnie to focus more on her career, especially with the challenges she faces at work, such as dealing with her difficult new associate, Kelly Linley. Despite Nick’s discomfort, Carnie believes having Matt as the babysitter is a practical solution to her struggles.
Why does Carnie fire Matt?
Initially, Matt appears to be a caring figure in her life. He offers emotional support and makes her feel more valued than Nick has. He brings her flowers, and lunches at work, and consistently reminds her of how unhappy she has been in her marriage. This attention makes Carnie feel vulnerable and opens a space for Matt to become more involved in her personal life. However, Matt’s intentions soon turn inappropriate.
Carnie’s decision to fire Matt solidifies when she discovers he has invaded her privacy. Matt steals one of Carnie’s underwear which makes things disturbingly awkward. Carnie becomes aware that Matt’s protective behavior has crossed into an unhealthy obsession. This growing sense of physical intimacy on Matt’s part makes Carnie uncomfortable. She realizes that his care is no longer innocent, but manipulative.
After confiding in Rhonda, Carnie sneaks into Matt’s room and uncovers disturbing evidence: photographs of herself and Nick, along with her stolen underwear. She now realizes Matt’s unsettling fixation on her. When Carnie confronts Matt, she fires him on the spot. Before leaving, Matt reveals a final twist: Nick’s secret phone that’s used to contact Paula. This is a plan Matt had orchestrated to further sabotage Carnie’s marriage.
What is Matt’s Real Intention?
Matt’s real intention revolves around his deep obsession with Nick and his desire to make him his life partner. From the moment Matt enters the scene, it is clear that he is not just a passive participant in Nick’s life but is actively pushing for Nick to leave Carnie. Matt and Nick have a romantic history. Nick initially promises to end his marriage with Carnie to be with Matt. However, as time passes, Nick begins to doubt whether he truly wants to spend his future with Matt, creating tension between them.
Matt’s actions become increasingly desperate as he realizes his chance with Nick is slipping away. He goes to great lengths to ruin Carnie’s life, planting evidence like a hidden phone to make her suspect Nick is having an affair with Paula. Matt’s speech on fidelity at Rhonda’s anniversary party, which makes Carnie uncomfortable, is another example of his manipulative behavior. When Carnie is vulnerable, Matt tries to get intimate with her, not out of genuine affection but as part of his plan to break her emotionally and drive a wedge between her and Nick.
What does Carnie find out about Nick?
Carnie discovers a series of shocking truths about Nick as the story unfolds. It begins when Matt, who is obsessed with her, tries to force Nick into revealing his secret that he is gay. When Nick resists, Matt blackmails him. Meanwhile, Matt orchestrates a car accident involving Carnie’s archnemesis, Kelly, to remove Carnie from the picture. This draws the attention of the police. They investigate Carnie due to her previous altercation with Kelly.
Carnie looks into CCTV footage to check Matt’s alibi and realizes that Matt never shows up where he claims to be. Suspicion grows, and when Carnie confronts Rhonda, she learns that Matt is gay. This revelation complicates things further for Carnie, prompting her to dig deeper into Nick’s activities.
With the help of Kelly and Clive, Carnie discovers that Nick has been living a double life. She steals his laptop and finds out that he has rented a luxury apartment by forging her signature on their insurance contract. Carnie follows Nick to this apartment, only to discover him with another man, confirming his secret relationship and betrayal. This discovery shatters her trust and reveals the full extent of Nick’s deceit.
Lies My Babysitter Told (2024) Movie Ending Explained:
Can Carnie Rebuild Her Life After Uncovering Nick’s Deadly Betrayal?
By the end of “Lies My Babysitter Told,” it becomes clear that Matt is dead, killed by Nick to protect his own selfish agenda. Matt, who was pressuring Nick to abandon his current life and be with him, posed a significant threat to Nick’s carefully constructed facade. Nick had long been using Carnie, his wife, for her money, benefiting from insurance under her name. When Carnie finds blood near a boat at the location they had planned to purchase, it becomes obvious that Matt’s disappearance is tied to Nick.
Nick’s actions show that he would go to any lengths, including murder, to preserve his financial gains and secret life. The revelation of Nick’s actions further intensifies when Carnie realizes that Nick had been poisoning her with arsenic, making her ill to create the impression that she was mentally unstable. This manipulation was part of Nick’s plan to weaken Carnie’s credibility, ensuring no one would believe her if she ever suspected him.
Carnie eventually confronts Nick, having pieced together his lies. Nick admits to everything, including his relationship with Matt and his ongoing manipulation of Carnie. His final desperate act is to force Carnie into writing a suicide note and taking pills to make her death appear like a suicide. However, Carnie outsmarts him, pretending to take the pills and later fleeing the house. As Carnie escapes, the police, who have gathered enough evidence including Nick’s confession, arrest him. This marks the end of Nick’s deceitful life.
The film concludes with a moment of hope for Carnie. While playing with her daughter Emily in the park, Carnie notices a man caring for a child who is not his own. This scene reflects her newfound hope in the goodness of men, contrasting with the betrayal she faced with Nick. Though it is unclear whether Carnie will pursue a new relationship, the ending leaves her future open to possibility and healing.
