“Family Switch” is the latest entry in the body-swapping genre, and the film wears its influences on its sleeve. In one sequence, the family members articulate their predicament while subtly ratting off some body-swap greats.
“I mean, no kid has ever just woken up big,” says Wyatt, now stuck in Bill’s body. Bill responds, “Yeah, so freaky,” a tongue-in-cheek reference to “Freaky Friday.” “You’re telling me,” says Jess. “I’m 17 again.” Then CC delivers the cherry on top, as Jennifer Garner fans will appreciate: “I’m 13 going on 30!”
Making “Family Switch” hit different for Ed Helms, who has children of his own. “[I] found myself thinking about what my kids were going through and how they might be thinking,” he continued in the same People interview. “That’s why the body-swap premise is so timeless — because it asks the audience to think more about the people we’re close to and the ways we connect and disconnect. I hope people take a little more perspective out of this movie. But also chuckles.”
The unfortunate kiss offers chuckles in spades, highlighting the body language and physical comedy that goes into acting like teenagers, siblings, and spouses all at once. “I feel like we both broke a lot,” Helms said. Garner added, “You cannot put me in a scene with Ed Helms and expect me not to break. I’m sorry. That’s not going to happen.”
