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Family Switch

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Family Switch
Release poster
Directed byMcG
Screenplay by
Story byVictoria Strouse
Based onBedtime for Mommy
by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMarc Spicer
Edited byBrian Olds
Music byPinar Toprak
Production
companies
Distributed byNetflix
Release date
  • November 30, 2023 (2023-11-30)
Running time
105 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Family Switch is a 2023 American fantasy comedy film directed by McG, written by Adam Sztykiel and Victoria Strouse, and starring Jennifer Garner and Ed Helms. The film is based on the 2010 children's book Bedtime for Mommy by Amy Krouse Rosenthal.[1] It was released by Netflix on November 30, 2023, and received positive reviews from critics.

The film has a plot about body swapping, involving multiple members of the same family.

Plot

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In Los Angeles, the Walker family: the working couple Jess and Bill, along with their three kids CC, Wyatt and Miles, are a divided family: the parents and the children routinely find themselves at odds, primarily due to their respective outlooks towards life. With Christmas approaching, the convivial parents vainly attempt to draw the emotionally-distant children to spend more time together than individually. During an excursion to the Griffith Observatory to witness a rare planetary alignment, the fissures between the family erupt - with Jess and CC, Bill and Wyatt simultaneously wishing each other to try being them for a more intimate understanding. While asking an astrologer, Angelica, to take a family picture, a blinding flash rocks the observatory; in the melee, the family accidentally damage the telescope.

The next morning, the family awaken to find themselves spiritually split from each other: Jess and CC find themselves in other's bodies, as do Bill and Wyatt, much to their collective horror. Moving to resolve the quagmire, the family employ their unknowing neighbor Rolf to babysit toddler Miles and family dog Pickles, who were also switched. At the observatory, the family manage to bribe the staff to accelerate the telescope's repairs with the aim of reverting into their original bodies by the end of the planetary alignment.

Attempts by the family to pursue their regular lives in each other's bodies culminates in disaster: "Jess" (CC), attempts to deliver a presentation to an important client on her mother's behalf, which is ruined when she hastily devours ice cream, kicking in her mother's lactose intolerance, causing her to fart profusely during the meeting, while "CC" (Jess), intentionally compromises her daughter's crucial soccer match to help an injured opponent, which is witnessed by a national recruiter in attendance; "Wyatt" (Bill) bungles his son's interview for a Yale scholarship with his nonchalant attitude, and "Bill" (Wyatt), despite his strange demeanor that day, is invited to a party hosted by his son's crush, Ariana.

Exasperated, the family proceed to discover that the telescope is missing a specially-made lens that is crucial to its functioning. Realizing that next alignment would not be until 2162, "Bill" calls in a favor to procure the lens early. Privately, "Bill" divulges the party invitation to "Wyatt", who reluctantly attends with "CC"; he ends up fumbling a would-be intimate moment with Ariana, but he also stands up to his son's bully. Meanwhile, "Jess" and "Bill", who are pressured into kissing by their unknowing neighbors, sneak into the party, where the four manage to enjoy a moment of togetherness, which is sunk when "Bill" learns of "Wyatt"'s rejection of Ariana.

The next day, however, the family learn the hardships each other has to face; "Jess" discovers her mother's sacrifices at work for her daughter's soccer talent, while "CC" discovers her daughter's academic sincerity outside of soccer; "Bill" discovers that his father had sacrificed a potential music career to be a parent. Accepting that their individual life pursuits may have been lost owing to the switching, the family resolve to stay together irrespectively. They team up to sing at the Bill's music concert, which is attended by Jess's clients. The show is a success, and "Jess" is awarded a promotion. "Bill" finally receives the crucial telescopic lens, and the family race to the observatory with assistance from Angelica. They make it in time, but "Bill" accidentally slips over, destroying the lens in the process. However, they discover "Miles" had pocketed the original lens before the switch; they use it, but nothing occurs.

The next morning, the family discovers they have reverted to their original bodies. Wyatt patches up his relationship with Ariana, sharing a first kiss with her, and CC is given a second chance for national soccer tryouts by the recruiter, who admired her sportsmanship at the game. Angelica watches the reunited family, wishing them a Merry Christmas before driving away.

Cast

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Production

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In February 2021, it was reported that Jennifer Garner would star in the film, then titled Family Leave.[2] By November 2022, Ed Helms was reported to star in the film, with McG serving as director.[3] In December 2022, Emma Myers and Brady Noon were cast as the children of Garner and Helms' characters.[4]

Principal photography took place in Los Angeles in February 2023, with Marc Spicer serving as the cinematographer.[5]

The film features a number of songs, including multiple renditions of "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town", in one of which Weezer joined the lead cast. Other songs include "Seven Nation Army" and "Bust a Move".[6][7]

Release

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Family Switch was released on Netflix on November 30, 2023.[8]

Reception

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 43% of 30 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.5/10. The website's consensus reads: "A great cast and some moderately heartwarming moments aren't enough to make up for Family Switch's unimaginative take on the overused body-swap gimmick."[9] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 37 out of 100, based on 8 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews.[10]

Owen Gleiberman of Variety wrote, "Family Switch has bits and pieces of amusement, but mostly you want to swap it for a better movie".[11] Angie Han of The Hollywood Reporter said: "The body-swap comedy isn't good so much as it is completely and totally innocuous. Its characters are drawn in the broadest of strokes and the plot points unfold along creakily predictable beats, but it's too blandly sweet to be irritating or offensive. If you're just looking to fill a movie-shaped hole in your holiday plans, that might make it passable enough."[12]

References

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  1. ^ Wert, Nicole (February 2, 2023). "See Jennifer Garner and Rita Moreno's Adorable Photos From Movie Set". Parade. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  2. ^ Welk, Brian (February 17, 2021). "Jennifer Garner to Star in Body Switch Comedy 'Family Leave' at Netflix". TheWrap. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  3. ^ Grobar, Matt (November 29, 2022). "Ed Helms Joins Jennifer Garner In 'Family Leave'; McG To Direct & Produce Netflix Body-Swap Comedy". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 20, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  4. ^ Grobar, Matt (December 12, 2022). "'Wednesday's Emma Myers & Brady Noon Join McG-Directed Body-Swap Comedy 'Family Leave' For Netflix". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 21, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  5. ^ Harrington McCoy, Tracey (February 16, 2023). "Jennifer Garner Busts Out Hilarious Dance Moves While Filming Netflix Comedy 'Family Leave'". People. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  6. ^ "McG on Body Switch Flicks, His '90s Music Videos, and Chasing Weezer". Consequence. November 29, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  7. ^ Shaw, Angel (December 1, 2023). "Family Switch Soundtrack Guide: Every Song & When It Plays". Screen Rant. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  8. ^ Grobar, Matt (August 30, 2023). "Netflix Sets Fall Movie Release Dates For The Killer, Pain Hustlers, Sly, Wes Anderson's The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar & More". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 30, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  9. ^ "Family Switch". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 21, 2024. Edit this at Wikidata
  10. ^ "Family Switch". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  11. ^ Gleiberman, Owen (December 2, 2023). "Family Switch Review: Jennifer Garner and Ed Helms in a Four-Way Body-Swap Comedy That's More Strenuous Than Funny". Variety. Archived from the original on December 2, 2023. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
  12. ^ Han, Angie (November 30, 2023). "Family Switch Review: Jennifer Garner's Netflix Body-Swap Comedy Is Ideal Holiday Background Filler". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
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