No one should be surprised to hear that Family Switch, the new family holiday movie/Freaky Friday send-up on Netflix, is not the most original picture of the year. Even so, this rapidly-paced PG film has a clear appeal for the jolly holiday crowd of 2023 and two appealing leads to boot, so for a select few out there looking for a group watch that even a nine-year-old can appreciate, this will fit right into the usual slate of holiday watches during Christmas.
‘Family Switch’ Premise
When a once-in-a-lifetime interstellar event interrupts a feud between two parents and their two teen children, they wake up the next day having switched bodies with each other. Along the way to right their situation, the children walk a mile in their parent’s shoes, and vice versa, bringing them to better understanding and closeness for one another.
A Knowingly Parodying Yuletide Romp
Much like the looping day trope made famous by Groundhog Day, the kid-suddenly-becomes-an-adult gimmick heavily oversaturates its market in the 21st century. Luckily, Family Switch at least recognizes its unoriginality with direct references and parodies that will please viewers looking for well-tread territory. The frequently amusing lead actors Ed Helms and Jennifer Garner warm the stitched-together script with all their might, making a stamp on their performances even when the hyper-editing rushes over their gags.
Though side roles by Rita Moreno and Matthias Schweighöfer do not get good enough dialogue to do their characters justice, the two teens, played by Emma Myers and Brady Noon, do not fare so badly. Indeed, there are script problems galore in Family Switch, but the cast and premise will have already drawn in the intended audience by the time anyone starts cringing.
Lovable Entertainers Meet an Uninspiring Director
Experienced viewers of McG will likely recognize his trademark style-over-substance approach that has fed viewers eye candy for decades. Once again, he returns to his Charlie’s Angels/The Babysitter slickness that covers up when the plot leaves gaping holes. Even setting the occasional flat joke aside, Family Switch sometimes fails to deliver on its promise of wholesomely resolving each family member’s issues.
Brady Noon, Emma Myers, Jennifer Garner, and Ed Helms in ‘Family Switch’
While the solution for three of the body-switched family members at least has some heart and intricacy, the nerdy teen boy’s storyline seems almost willfully childish and diminished by comparison. Just a slightly more nuanced take on all four characters could have been enough to win over viewers when the laughs depart.
The Verdict on ‘Family Switch’
Giving Family Switch the benefit of the doubt, this flick is acceptably merry and bright for the Netflix crowd to add to the holiday binge. But when competing against more inventive films like Candy Cane Lane this week, this link in the long chain of body-switching comedies will only please those looking for nothing more than anticipated plot devices. The discerning critics of McG have plenty of material to rip apart here, of course, but the worst failure for most in Family Switch will be that it never even reaches the sum of its parts.
Family Switch is streaming now on Netflix.
