Linda Greenberg

I wasn’t expecting any intense or note-worthy examinations of the meaning of life, just a fun light family comedy, so perhaps that’s why I enjoyed it so much! Yes- it was a twist off a commonly played out theme, but the title told you that was coming. The first scene alone set the motion of the kind of film it would be, and it delivered throughout the adventures of the Walker family. No big surprises but genuinely enjoyable. The actors were all wonderful, though I admit that I am always a fan of Jennifer Garner, and who can resist the likes of Rita Moreno! Emma also did an especially great job as her character weaved through varying moments in time. I appreciated the changes made to the characters in terms of their hair and wardrobe after the switches took place, with Brady’s hair going from curly to straight as making an especially dramatic shift in appearance, as I found myself questioning if it was the same actor! The flow of the scenes moved along and the cinematography was well done. By far, the funniest scenes I believe were with the dog and baby, particularly when cared for by the neighbor. Rather than just coming to recognize the differing perspectives as valued between parents and children, I thought that learning about things they hadn’t previously known about each other, helped to illustrate the advantage of being in some else’s shoes, so to speak. Overall, I do hope it becomes a regular holiday film to watch, because it was light, funny, and what a family movie should be. Full thumbs up!