User Reviews

The comedy team of Dudley Moore and Kirk Cameron give this their all, but they come out on the short end of the stick with one of half-a-dozen films of the same theme that came out in the mid-to-late 1980's. This seemed had been already done going back to the 1930s, and with the success of "Big" in 1986, the theme was repeated with at least three other theatrical movies (and similarly structured stories), every Hollywood studio seemed to be ripping it off. But with some lacking originality, they made up in witty scripts, and unfortunately this one does not fall into that category.

As high school student Kirk Cameron gets grossed out over the dissecting of a frog, docto father Dudley Moore proves his success in an upscale Los Angeles Hospital. the drinking of some sort of Native American potion all of a sudden switches their personalities, putting Cameron's awkward teenager into serious doctor Moore's body, and vice versa. Now they have to live each other's lives, and while the possibilities of funny situations seems endless, that rarely ever happens in this misfire, the weakest of the lot of the same carried over plot.

As funny as Dudley Moore could be, it seems like he is simply just playing Arthur all over again, being a silly teenager rather than a foolish rich drunk. Cameron gets to show more range, but each of their situations have a sitcom feel, mostly undeveloped, and many of the supporting characters seem like cardboard cutouts. this seems like the type of film that knew of other Studios doing similar stories, and rushed it out to jump on the bandwagon without really getting together a great script. That weakens the impact, and ultimately, it just ain't that funny. Shots of late 1980's Los Angeles gave me some nostalgia, but that's not enough to make this memorable.

At the time (1987) this film was one of a spate of body transference films on offer. Hollywood had found a new theme to play with. If Rod Daniel's flick is any indication, none of the projects were very successful.

Chris (Kirk Cameron) and his doctor dad (Dudley Moore) inadvertently swap bodies after a mishap with an American Indian potion. Comedy from here on in is strictly 'fish-out-of-water', as Chris and his pa must learn to cope and adapt to the other's life.

A few of the resulting situations bring a laugh, some just a smile. Mostly however, this is your average situation comedy. Lorne Cameron's story makes that common but dreadful mistake of going for a sentimental finale, which of course falls flat on its face.

It was films like this that abruptly ended Kirk Cameron's movie career; and this is probably one of his best. Dudley Moore has been infinitely better. Miles Goodman provides a bouncy score.

Monday, February 1, 1999 - Video

"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.

The jokes did not quite take off in the first half of the film. I was appalled by how bad the dialogue was, and how un-funny the lines that are supposed to be funny are. Chris' best friend is perhaps THE most annoying person in the first half; his lines are retarded, and so is he. Chris (Kirk Cameron) is also very annoying, and so is his dad. After they switched brains though, the film got a whole lot better. It's a riot to see Dr. Hammond in Chris' body going to school and being a smart ass. It's even funnier to see Chris in his father's body going to work. This movie is basically something to entertain you for a couple of hours. It's not over-the-top-ly funny, and it's very stupid, but it's all in the name of entertainment. Great acting from Dudley Moore and Kirk Cameron. Can't say much for the rest of the cast 'cause I don't really remember what the heck they did. A rather interesting plot as well, if you're not in the mood to think.

To sum it up, "Like Father, Like Son" is stupid...but it's fun.

Hello Everybody Today I'm reviewing a Teen Body Swap Comedy from 1987 Called Like Father Like Son which stars Dudley Moore & Kirk Cameron. The Movie is about Jack Hammond (Dudley Moore) who is a Surgeon & his son Chris Hammond (Kirk Cameron) Switching Bodies. I First Heard of this Movie on Siskel & Ebert's worst Movies of 1987 and I agree with Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert. The Movie is Really Stupid with the whole body swap plot. The Movie's plot involves the father acting like the son and the son acting like the father. When I watched this movie I didn't know this movie was PG-13 because there is a lot of swearing in this movie. I also thought the ending to be weird. 2/10

It's really amazing how close Vice Versa and Like Father, Like Son are. They both even have a hair metal concert sequence and sountrack. This one gets Autograph. That one gets Malice. Both often appear on combo DVDs together and yes, here they are again together on Mill Creek's Through the Decades: 1980s Collection.

This time: Like Father, Like Son which has Dudley Moore and Kirk Cameron switch bodies. Jack (Moore) is a surgeon. His son Chris (Cameron) is a student. And thanks to a Native American brain switching formula, they change bodies long enough to cause issues in one another's lives and also learn some lessons, because everyone always learns lessons in this movie. I mean - just look at every single Freak Friday movie.

Director Rod Daniel made Teen Wolf, K-9, The Super, Beethoven's 2nd and Home Alone 4, so when he left moviemaking for photography - and didn't have nice tyhings to say about Hollywood - perhaps that makes sense.

I'm certain that there are folks that grew up with this movie as a constant rental. Each generation gets its own body switch movie, right?

Another body swap movie. We have seen freaky Friday, Vice Versa, BIG, now this. I have to say I always liked dudley Moore and the way he acts. If you like any of the movies mentioned above you will probably like this movie. It's not fantastic or great but it is a good afternoon watch. I sat down early in the afternoon and watched this, it was pretty entertaining. Typical dad and son swap bodies the dad happens to be a doctor the kid in school on a track team trying to attract the girl and everything ends well. There were a couple funny scenes my particular favorite scenes were when the couch was lit on fire when the woman comes over and tries to sleep with the father and the sun doesn't know what to do, and my other favorite scene is when the doctor has to do rounds and the kid doesn't have any idea what rounds are and just gives everyone drugs. That was pretty funny. Go check this one out if you haven't seen it, like I said it's not great but it's definitely worth a watch. 80s completist must see.

Im not too sure about what the last reviewer was expecting to see...Citizen Kane? This was a great lighthearted comedy from the time I was graduating high school that anyone born in the late 60s-early 70's will enjoy. You will love the cornball fashion from the big 80's as well as the big hair. I thought they put a interesting plot in the freaky Friday theme using the brain transference juice. Also, Dudley Moore did an excellent job right after the switch acting like a freaked out 17 year old in a 47 year old's body. And of course, the comedy ensues as both struggle to jump into the others life, one in high school and the other at the hospital as chief surgeon. So if you want to come home and have a drink and relax and watch a lighthearted comedy from when you were in high school and remember the old days, this is definitely the movie for you.