Family Switch

Is this a masterpiece ? No.

Does it deserve the bad critics? No.

Let's take the movie for what it is: a light family movie you can totally enjoy during the period of Christmas.

I watched the movie with my kids yesterday (10 and 8 years) and my wife.

We all enjoyed. The jokes are not always crazy good but good enough to make us laugh and have a good time.

The movie is obviously predictable but still, it did not bother me/us that much.

I would still recommend to people with a young family. It's light, entertaining and as mentioned funny.

Even for us as parents, there are some interesting messages (again, it's not deep but still, some nice reminders here and there that I enjoyed).

Give it a shot unless light family comedies aren't your thing.

I have to admit that I had to watch Family Switch over two viewings. I found it sickly sweet and couldn't cope watching it in one hit. It's the typical oops we have switched bodies but something has to change in the family dynamics before we can be switched back scenario. I can't say that we need 'another' one of these films. If they were hoping it would be some holiday classic, I think they might have somewhat missed the mark.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate the film, I just didn't love it either.

Ed Helms was good in it, and so was Jennifer Garner and even the actors playing their kids. But it just felt like it was missing something, or maybe I am too old and jaded for this kind of film anymore.

The stars align, and the Walkers - a very standard family of 2.4 children and a dog - wake up... just not in their own bodies.

It's not bad. It really isn't bad at all. I went in expecting a typical, run-of-the-mill Christmas film, but this is a long way from the usual Hallmark fare. No romance, no syrup, just goofy, family-oriented fun.

Sometimes at this time of year you need something a bit daft, and this hits the mark. It's not a classic, but it kept me entertained. The festive dressing is almost incidental; underneath it's more of a generational face-off, just with the added complication of everyone being in the wrong body.

Each Walker has their own looming challenge - something their parent or child couldn't possibly pull off - and the film plays with that quite nicely. Yes, it's predictable, but there are laughs along the way, and the baby/dog switch genuinely made me chuckle.

There's also that now-standard trope of the quirky German man: pristine, frosty, single, but ultimately good-natured.

Ed Helms and Jennifer Garner are good fun, and the kids are strong too - everyone seems fully onboard with the daftness of it all. The film pokes at the younger generation, but never mean-spiritedly; more of a cheeky side glance.

Genuinely well-meaning, fun, and very likeable.

7/10.

Jess (Jennifer Garner) and Bill Walker (Ed Helms) are a happily-married suburban couple, but they fear disconnecting from their kids. Daughter CC (Emma Myers) is the star football player. Son Wyatt (Brady Noon) is a science nerd. They with baby brother and dog go to the Griffith Park Planetarium. With a planetary alignment, a telescope, and psychic Angelica (Rita Moreno), the family get switched.

This is old hat for Jennifer Garner and the movie refers to her movie as well as others. Ed Helms is playing the music nerd teacher although the back story is leading towards former rock star. That conflict does cause some problems. This is mostly fine but very derivative. Garner can easily switch from stuffy to childish. Ed Helms is a little ill-fitting for the role. For example, Brady Noon is trying to play the dad like a leather jacket rocker in one scene and it doesn't fit his other scenes. The dog baby switch would be funnier if the CGI isn't so Son of the Mask. Of course, there is a dance sequence and I like the premise behind it. As for the band tryout, I don't understand why Wyatt with dad inside doesn't just play the gig. He can claim that dad is injured and the son had been learning from the dad. I do question director McG's style. His brand of humor is very broad and very low hanging fruit. This has a few fine comedic moments but most others are lesser family fun.

This still counts as a Christmas film despite only being set in the days leading up to it. I thought though it was a pretty magical film. Of course we know the story of big and freaky Friday but it is as Jess says a unique situation as a whole family has not been swapped before. Even dog pickle's and the baby get thier turn. I liked the acting here and it didn't feel cheesy like it is in some other holiday films like this. Garner. Helms and the two chil actoes were enjoyable and each of their goals you knew nothing would go right. Overall family switch was a nice holiday film and one certainly worthy of a re watch.