It’s that time of the year again! Presents, cakes, egg nogs, family-time, trees, and decorations. Yes, it’s Christmas and with family-time comes movie-time. Netflix has added another great movie to its Christmas list — Family Switch.
Family Switch Plot
Family Switch stars Jennifer Garner, Ed Helms, Emma Myers, and Brady Noon. Just like the majority of Christmas movies, it has a predictable story with a predictable message. Even though you know the end of the movie before it even begins, it’s one of the best comedy movies for the season. It shows a family that doesn’t get along with each other. Parents try to juggle their ambitions, jobs, and kids while their teen children struggle with the fact that their parents don’t understand them until something magical happens. A family wakes up in one another’s body after feeling neglected by each other. The body swap at the important moment of their lives changes the family for forever.
The Critique
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You may consider Family Switch as a fun watch but here is the thing – we have seen this fun watch many times. It can be best described as Jamie Lee Curtis’ Freaky Friday and Jennifer Garner’s own movie 13 Going on 30 mixed with a family on Christmas. The movie follows the popular saying “the more the merrier” and that’s what happens in the switch, which includes a dog and baby. This family-level body switch creates a huge mess for everyone as they have life-changing opportunities lined up for themselves. The mother (Jennifer Garner) is in her daughter’s (Emma Myers) body and the father (Ed Helms) is in his son’s (Brady Noon) body. What follows is a series of mix-ups and mistakes that alter the lives of all involved, for better and worse.
Family Switch is a film that delivers on a smaller scale, treading familiar territory for a family-fun viewing experience that delivers on the laughs and emotions you’d expect from such a story, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In a year dominated by three-hour epics from masterclass filmmakers, the simplicity and accessibility of this Netflix holiday-treat is refreshing. There are absolutely no surprises that you can expect in this movie but there are certainly some moments that give you second-hand embarrassment. It gives you good laughs with your family and something to think about for a light discussion.
This is not the movie you compare to Oppenheimer, Killers of the Flower Moon or Past Lives. It’s unique in its way and that’s what makes it special.
Talking about performance, Jennifer Garner and Wednesday star Emma Myers stole the show. Ed Helmes, Brady Noon, Rita Moreno along with Matthias Schweighofer put their best foot forward for the movie. Screenwriters Victoria Strouse and Adam Stzykiel added a lot of twists and drama to keep the movie as interesting as possible.
The movie focuses on the generational gap and the differences between adults and adolescents in every aspect. Family Switch tries to bridge this gap by connecting the family and helping them bond with each other.
Directed by McG (Charlie’s Angels and The Babysitter) this holiday movie is based on a children’s book titled ‘Bedtime for Mommy’ by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. He is well known for his visual style and camerawork.
In Conclusion
Despite being one of the most predictable movies Family Switch manages to keep the hold of its audience. It is full of comedy, embarrassment (you’ll like it), and most importantly love. It’s a lighthearted comedy that you might like to revisit every once in a while. For people who like comedy or holiday-themed movies, it’s a great watch!
9/10
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