Rita, Sue and Bob Too

Rita, Sue and Bob Too

Year: 1987

Runtime: 93 min

Language: English

Director: Alan Clarke

DramaComedy

Two teenage babysitters, Rita and Sue, living in a working-class neighborhood in northern England, become entangled in an affair with their affluent employer, Bob. As Bob's marriage falls apart, the two young women find themselves navigating a complicated and increasingly precarious relationship, blurring the lines between desire and exploitation while seeking an escape from their difficult circumstances.

Rita, Sue and Bob Too (1987) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at Rita, Sue and Bob Too (1987) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In the grey‑washed suburbs of Bradford, the film settles into a world where drab council houses press up against more polished middle‑class streets, creating a palpable contrast that feels both intimate and unsettling. The everyday sounds of a working‑class community—bustling markets, clattering buses, laughter spilling from cramped kitchens—mix with a lingering sense of yearning for something beyond the soot‑stained walls. A dry, observational humor runs alongside a raw social realism, giving the picture a tone that is simultaneously witty, uneasy, and oddly hopeful.

_ R​ita_ and S​ue are two teenage girls on the cusp of adulthood, sharing a cramped flat and a friendship forged by shared hardship and an unrelenting desire to escape their circumstances. They take on babysitting work for a seemingly respectable couple, stepping into a home that feels like a different world—cleaner, more spacious, and tinged with the promises of middle‑class stability. Their employer, B​ob, is a charismatic but weary man whose own marriage shows signs of strain, and whose presence introduces a ripple of intrigue that disrupts the girls’ routine.

The connection between the three is charged with an uneasy mix of curiosity, attraction, and power imbalance. B​ob offers the girls a glimpse of a life beyond their council estate, while R​ita and S​ue bring a youthful boldness that both excites and unsettles him. Their interactions are laced with a tentative flirtation that hints at deeper complications, setting the stage for a delicate dance of desire and exploitation. The film watches this triangle closely, letting the audience feel the tension that builds in ordinary moments—a shared drink, a lingering glance, a quiet conversation that suggests more than what is said.

As the story unfolds, the stark environment and the characters’ restless ambitions keep the audience poised on the edge of possibility. The film invites viewers to contemplate how far the girls might go to break free from the constraints of their world, and what the cost of such a pursuit could be, all while maintaining a balance between humor and the stark realities of the lives it portrays.

Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 13:40

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Rebellious teen dramas like Rita, Sue and Bob Too

Unflinching looks at teenagers pushing boundaries in unforgiving environments.If you liked the raw and risky behavior of the teenagers in Rita, Sue and Bob Too, explore more movies featuring young protagonists navigating dangerous freedoms. These stories often feature a fast pace, chaotic energy, and a dark tone, focusing on characters from working-class backgrounds who challenge social norms.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically follow teenagers who, feeling trapped by their socioeconomic or familial situations, engage in risky behaviors as a form of escape or self-assertion. Their journeys are often chaotic and morally ambiguous, exploring the consequences of their actions without offering easy moral judgments.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped together by their shared focus on the volatile and often reckless energy of teenage rebellion, set against bleak, unforgiving backdrops. They share a gritty, raw aesthetic and a confrontational approach to themes of class, sexuality, and power.

Dark social comedies like Rita, Sue and Bob Too

Where sharp humor cuts through the grim reality of dysfunctional relationships.Movies like Rita, Sue and Bob Too that use dark comedy to explore the breakdown of relationships and social norms. These films balance a fast pace and high intensity with sharp, situational humor, creating a unique and bracing viewing experience.

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Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread often involve entangled relationships that spiral into chaos, using comedic moments to highlight the absurdity and tension within serious situations. The plot moves quickly through a series of betrayals and confrontations, leading to an ending that offers no clear resolution, leaving the audience to sit with the moral ambiguity.

Why These Movies?

These films are connected by their distinct tonal blend: they are fundamentally serious dramas that are punctuated by dark, situational humor. This creates a specific, bracing vibe where laughter is uneasy and the emotional weight remains heavy, making the social commentary more potent.

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Rita, Sue and Bob Too Summary

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