‘Family Switch,’ now available on Netflix, is a true genre-bender. This delightful Christmas film takes the traditional family holiday flick and cleverly merges it with the classic body-swap comedy. Starring Jennifer Garner and Ed Helms as parents facing an existential twist just three days before Christmas, the film unfolds a day before each family member experiences a life-altering rite-of-passage. Don’t you just hate it when everything gets discombobulated right before the holidays? Based on Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s book “Bedtime for Mommy,” the same mind behind ‘Yes Day,’ this movie amplifies the gimmicks, challenging our tolerance for the wonderfully wacky.
Family Switch Overview
The Gist: Oh, dear! Mom (Garner) and Dad (Helms) are mortifying, decked out in candy-cane tiaras and Christmas sweaters, dancing for the annual family Christmas video. However, the kids are no longer amused by such antics. Wyatt (Brady Noon) is a bookish freshman with a Yale interview, his sister CC (Emma Myers) is a soccer star eyed by national teams, and even the baby averts his eyes from the parents’ antics. Mom, an architect with a crucial project pitch, could become a partner if she lands it, while Dad, a high school music teacher, fronts a band auditioning for “So You Think You Can Rock.” The family members, each with a significant day ahead, find themselves existentially entangled just days before Christmas. Dysfunctional and bickering, they must navigate their life-altering events with swapped minds and bodies, leading to hilarious and unexpected situations.
What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: See “Memorable Dialogue” below, and then brace yourself for the nostalgia wave.
Performance Worth Watching: While I won’t spoil the surprise, keep an eye out for a nearly silent, half-chuckle moment involving the members of Dad or Alive.
Memorable Dialogue: How self-aware is Family Switch? THIS self-aware:
- Mom with CC’s brain: “This is a completely unique and original situation that’s literally never happened before!”
- Dad with Wyatt’s brain: “No kid has ever woken up big!”
- Wyatt with Dad’s brain: “It’s so freaky!”
- CC with Mom’s brain: “You’re telling me – I’m 17 again!”
- Dad with Wyatt’s brain: “I’m 13 going on 30!”
Sex and Skin: None.
Our Take: Family Switch serves up a smorgasbord of flatulence, urine, dog reaction shots, CGI baby antics, and a record-scratch noise, all wrapped up in a Christmas bow. However, it lacks the inspiration to elevate it beyond recycled shtick from other films, all beating the well-worn cliché of walking in another person’s shoes, or in this case, skull. While there are fresh and funny ways to approach such themes, this film misses the mark. Directed by McG, known for The Babysitter series and other Netflix projects, it carries a let’s-get-through-this-and-get-paid vibe. The cast works hard, but the overstuffed plot leaves little room for genuine comedy or character development. Skip this one unless you’re a fan of mercilessly recycled jokes and predictable story arcs.