Family Switch

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.

Yes we have seen the concept of intergenerational body swaps innumerable times. Yes there are the usual tropes. Yes it can be silly.

But this movie is actually infused with the spirit of Christmas.

We teared. We laughed. We smiled. We nodded knowingly. We laughed hysterically. We felt warm and happy at the end of it.

All the leads were good but I found Jennifer Garner and Emma Myers particularly good. Ms. Garner really showed her comic skills.

This will not make best picture but it will make my annual list of Christmas movies. After all if you can't get sentimental or mawkish at Christmas then when?

3 out of 5 stars.

Family Switch is a fair comedy film that has a family theme message for the holidays and humor that is cheesy and fun. Its Freaky Friday with a family concept. A story about a family thats distant and growing apart. And few days before christmas on a day of planetary alignment. They all wished to be the other. Which they all switch bodies. While trying to live the others life and seeing what there struggle is.

It is a cute and fun family film for the holidays. The cast did okay and had fun with there roles. The humor can be a bit cheesy with iffy dialogue as well. It is a film that entertains.

The switching is not a new idea, ok, but the movie is funny, CHILDREN FRIENDLY and really enjoyable!

Not many films today like this, that you can watch with your 8-year old and your 15-year old and you all laugh! In my humble opinion it is worth watching at home, all together, with pizza or popcorn or whatever you like and get some good family time!

I miss the old movies before all the cgi and fast dialogs and action that are everywhere today. Classic awkward moments and messed situations! Movies like this are missing today!

Don't get me wrong, I don't mean that it's an amazing extraordinary movie but again, which family movie is nowadays?

To summarize, I don't know what all the critics in here are "hating ". Is it worth paying 4 tickets for your family to watch it in cinema? No! But guess what? You don't need to, it's on Netflix! So since you've already paid ENJOY IT!!

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.