Family Switch - A Netflix Movie Review

I thought body-switching only happened in the movies.

After a switch, Family Switch is a 2023 Netflix film. A family undergoes a predicament when they switch bodies. On the weirdest day of their lives, they need to get back to normal before everything is permanent.

The whole body-switching scenario has been done countless times in films, but I still watched Family Switch to see if it did anything different. Doing an excellent job in acting, character decisions were not believable and the story counted on references to similar stories instead of enlisting a more original story.

Jennifer Garner, Ed Helms, Emma Myers, and Brady Noon do an excellent job studying their characters along with the opposite switched personalities.

Emma Myers is the highlight of Family Switch. Myers has become well-known for her role as chipper Enid in the Netflix series Wednesday. She truly manifests a genuine portrayal as Garner right down to her voice and mannerisms.

As much as I love Garner and her bubbly fun personality in every film, she wasn’t believable as a teenager in an adult’s body. Brady Noon was the most implausible in exhibiting the dad’s personality.

In a fun twist, the baby and the dog switch places! I’m surprised that Family Switch didn’t do anything else with this scenario. The idea was original and it was funny. In my opinion, the CGI used to make the baby move or the dog walk on its legs was a bit offputting.

Included in the cast as a magical genie, Rita Moreno deserved more. Her character deserved a more prominent role as an aid to the family instead of mysteriously showing up.

The main focus in Family Switch is the characters taking advantage of what they can do in the other's body. The parents take advantage of their kids! Having already expressed that they don’t want them to attend a party, the parents do so anyway and they talk to their kid’s friends. That is so out of character!

Another out-of-character moment that I didn’t like was when CC tripped down the stairs. Jess tells her daughter to walk it off without asking if she’s okay. And then fast forward to later in the movie when Jess makes sure that a stranger is okay!

Scenes that writers thought were funny are cringey jokes. They couldn’t come up with original material that didn’t pertain to farting jokes? One branch of dialogue references every body swap film that exists like audiences aren’t aware of that fact.

Why did the writers find it necessary to force CC and Wyatt (now the parents) to kiss? I don’t know what message it sends out, but it’s uncomfortable to watch when you know the context. And there’s a scene with the parents (as their kids) about to have an intimate moment. The writers had the wrong idea for the film’s comedy.

Family Switch is the same old story. While the concept is inherently entertaining, Family Switch struggles to present it in a way that feels innovative or groundbreaking. McG’s pacing of the film is another aspect that hampers its overall impact. The narrative unfolds predictably, following a well-trodden path without introducing any surprising twists or turns.

Aside from the film's flaws, Family Switch exhibits how important it is to spend time with family. There are heartwarming moments where the family bond and accept challenges.

Maybe it’s my inner critical reviewer, but take a look at Family Switch to see if you’ll have a different opinion. If you’re watching it with the whole family make sure that you don’t switch bodies!