ElMaruecan82 "Like Father, Like Son" used to be one of my favorites … for the time it lasted on a VHS tape, during eight little months… when I was ten. I'm not even sure it does count as an alibi. But let me contextualize this: it was the early 90's, Kirk Cameron was still in my mind Mike Seaver, the epitome of coolness and every Saturday night comedy was still under the 80's influence starring any of John Candy, Dan Aykryod or Dudley Moore. The premise of Moore and Cameron playing father and son and switching bodies (or minds) was so amusing it almost made me love the film before watching it. I realize that it takes more than a concept to make a movie, and I realize that the film might totally pass over a new generation who associates the name Kirk Cameron to some illuminated newborn bigot and might alas say "Dudley Who?" if you mention the name of the late actor. Some might even wonder what the hell is mother Camdell doing in this series and be shocked to see that the chubby Sam from the "Lord of the Ring" series used to be a clone of Marty McFly. But who am I kidding? The chances for the new generation to know about "Like Father, Like Son" are as low as Miley Cyrus playing the Easter bunny in the next Kirk Cameron movie. Rod Daniel's 1987 movie belong to the infamous league of forgotten 80's flicks that don't even benefit from a second watching.Indeed, all the nostalgia in the world can't prevent the film from a severe bashing, but still, how could a film reuniting so many acting talents (the supporting roles are good) and with such an amusing concept could generate such a lame and predictable story. Reading the trivia section on IMDb would almost make you believe the director and the actors approached the roles seriously or with the right comedic instinct, but the outcome doesn't validate a word they say and prove the late Ebert right. For one thing, Ebert said that a film involving a brain-transference serum wouldn't have any plot because such a serum would be its own antidote. That's the essence of the idiot plot and I do feel like an idiot not to have thought about it. But even by assuming that the antidote would be a bit more complex to find (still why would the Uncle bring with him the serum and not the antidote?), the film had more infuriating flaws to deal with.First, the film started well setting up both Dr. Jack and his son Chris Hammond as popular persons in their respective fields, an eminent surgeon promised to be elected head of staff and the cool kid who dates the prettiest girl and is the anchor leg in the next big relay race. The dialogues are convincing and the acting solid but once the switching occurs, the film all goes downhill. And I mean in an immediate way. Cameron was a normal teenager, not too wacky, not too weird, but from the minute Dudley Moore becomes embodies his son's role, he takes the most outrageous 180° turn and starts bawling like a little child. I could pass over the fact that he acted shocked while he could tell what happened (he had just tired the serum on the cat and the dog) but his crying was totally out of character. I was like "Chris wouldn't bawl like this" and that's only the tip of the iceberg. None of the actors ever tried to capture the other's mimics, well, Cameron tried, for a while but just when he gets on school, he starts to act like a nerdy little geek with an awkward walk that had nothing to do with Dr. Chris Hammond confident stroll over the hospital walls. In fact, the whole body-switching thing was just the starter of a series of events where we can all powerlessly witness each part ruining the other's legacy. Dudley Moore plays Chris Hammond like a ten-year old boy and if Jack wanted to ruin his boy's reputation, he wouldn't have done better. Surely, even a teenager man in his 50's would understand the value of behavior in popularity. And it all escalates to a childish clowning during a boardroom meeting and a romantic dinner with the sexy Margaret Colin leading to a sofa in fire being thrown in a pool. And Chris leaving the concert because the music is too loud. Wow, over the top for Moore and underplayed for Cameron, how about playing the other side of the coin? There was a nice start when "Chris" in Moore's body realized he had a credit card and could drink, but wasn't he supposed to handle girls a way better, how does he turn so awkward when he meets Colin's character?The film always goes to the obvious gimmick, the song montage, the car chase, the fainting during the delivery scene, painful-to-watch awkwardness while the premise could cover many good things. The remark of Ebert about the actors' accents not changing can even seem as nit-picky, how about that one? Why would that cat bark if he switches mind with the dog? Why would Chris' nemesis want another fight after the beating he gave him a day prior? Why would they turn the head of the hospital into some 'villain' when it was Jack who asked for it by playing weird?So many questions but life is too precious to ever try to think of them, I won't cherish the film but the nice memory I had of i… while it lasted, and that ending that felt like a cherry on the cake at that time, but the cake was so under-cooked, the cherry miserably sinks inside it. A pity for such a promising concept, not to provide anything remotely amusing.

Wizard-8 I think I have seen every example of the "body switch" genre, at least all of those that have been made in the past 40 years or so, and "Like Father Like Son" is the worst of them. The first 20 minutes or so are painless mediocrity, but then soon after the movie collapses. What's the problem? I think the main problem is that the characters are stupid. If I was in their situation, I know I would be terrified and trying my best to not raise suspicion. If the movie had done that, it could have been funny seeing these people trying to do their best but making mistakes. But the movie's two main characters seem to be trying their best to blow the charade - not realistic. And the movie's sense of humor is really bad - we have such stuff as audiences falling asleep during lectures, a gag that's done TWICE. If you want to see a good example of this genre, see "Freaky Friday" (the original or the remake) or "Vice Versa".

famelovingboy68 I enjoy this movie, I like it even better than Vice Versa, although Leonard Maltin gave it no stars. The biggest exception I noticed about his film, is how Kirk Cameron (Chris Hammond) was only 16, and a senior in high school, 17 in the movie. When in a majority of flicks the actors that age are in the early or mid twenties and look way too old. it's what a real high school looks like, and Clarence (Sean Astin-Samwise, Lord of the Rings Trilogy) his wacky, sarcastic friend, was in this when he was fifteen or sixteen, making him look actually a little young to be a senior. He is the one responsible for the body change, snatching an ancient potion from his archaeologist uncle. Chris' dad, Jack (Dudley Moore) is a heart surgeon, on the verge of being named chief of staff. And Chris is on his biology exam not seeming to have much of a clue what he's talking about, and is an average student. But then they switch bodies and Chris is in his dad's body and his dad has to go to school cause he's in Chris' body, and is really studious in his classes, even smarter than the teachers! While Chris in his dad's body doesn't have the slightest clue what he's doing as a heart surgeon, and has no sophisticated vocabulary, and parties like a child/teenager. Chris has bully problems at school and has to face up to a huge old looking kid who says "dickhead" And the kids at school think Chris is a dork, as his father, but the interns at the hospital think he's a lot of fun, chewing gum, driving a jeep, and taking them out for pizza and beer. The chief-of-staff's wife, a good 25-years younger than him, cheats on her husband and screws around with Jack' in Chris body, which leads to catastrophe. Anyway, I really like this movie. Here are some reasons why, and also why, I think it was superior to the others and should of gotten three stars, if not more. Despite the acting and script being considered inferior, this is the only one that makes me truly "happy" when watching it, it is set in southern California where the sun is always shining during the day. Sean Astin was in this at a young age, the kid is a teenager, and not a child, so there's two girlfriends in the movie. it is priceless watching Dudley Moore party and laugh watching MTV, and dance on the kitchen table to rock and roll. It teaches something about American History and how Okay became a word, through Chris' lecture in his dad's body at school. The interns have a bawl with Jack in Chris' body after work, eating pizza and drinking, Jack, Chris and Clarence go on a little vacation to get the antidote near the end of the movie, and he and his dad, hug each other and Cameron cries on cue, before the conclusion. Am I forgetting anything?

tfrizzell Doctor Dudley Moore and his teenage son Kirk Cameron end up becoming each other in this terrible little film. A brain transference formula is the cause here. The typical misunderstandings and forced-comedic situations then occur. Moore continued to struggle with roles after his crowning achievement in "Arthur" six years earlier. Cameron, thought to be the biggest star of television's "Growing Pains", was trying to become a bankable movie star. That plan fell flat as well. 2 stars out of 5.